


An Education

by eri_quin



Category: Skip Beat!
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-28
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-26 03:45:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 49,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3835768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eri_quin/pseuds/eri_quin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kijima Hidehito was just looking for a little fun. Somehow, it all turned into a learning experience and he wasn't quite sure he qualified as a teacher. Yet, Mogami Kyoko on the other hand, seems to be an eager student. The industry hops in on the ride. Casting couches, stiff competition, nosy presidents and overprotective dads -Kijima might have bit off more than he can chew. </p>
<p>So Kijima deals with the fact he's in love (with a girl who hates love), the workload of an actor, college, and teaching Kyoko everything from sex to showbizisms, to showing her the ins and outs of the real world and human nature. Even still, chasing her and trying to get her to love him back is the hardest thing on his to-do list. Damn, why he'd have to go and fall for a girl who didn't believe in falling?</p>
<p>Well, he wouldn't choose it any other way though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Most Capricious Meeting

 

Kijima yawned as he blearily looked around. He was bored and getting sleepy. It was about time to wrap up shop and he was already mentally scrolling down his contacts list for a girl he was thinking of spending the night with. It wasn't too late, so he could take some time and sweet her up with a dinner…

Yuriko was nice. Maybe Reina. He could always go with Junko…though she was a little clingy. He shouldn't chance her.

Kijima groaned and went over his contacts again, thinking about each women and then the pros and cons for each one. He had just been carefully considering Junko hesitantly (she had a great mouth), when his eyes alighted on one Mogami Kyoko speaking to Momose Itsumi and Oohara Airi from some distance away from him. The teen laughed vibrantly and scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

He had Itsumi and Oohara's numbers. He briefly considered them, but just as quickly dismissed the thought. They weren't his type (physically, yes –and though he wasn't too picky and had slept and gone out with women that weren't his type, these two just seemed a 'no'). On the other hand, he gazed in interest on Kyoko, watching her avidly illustrate her point.

She sure was lively, he mused. And adorably expressive.

Initially, he hadn't thought much of her, except that she was cute and pretty in a normal way. Amongst celebrities that didn't mean much, but he'd thought it made her a little more unique in that world. And he was a little envious too, as it allowed her to be able to walk around peacefully in the "normal" world without being troubled or recognized. She had the ability to flitter between both worlds, be a normal person and yet also act and be known for her roles.

Kijima would have liked to have been able to be like that. It would be nicer and easier on him to pick a girl out there that wouldn't come after him or be with him just for his fame, or to move up in the world.

He saw Kyoko move away from the other two females and start in the direction of the exit. He took that as his queue and looked around quickly before making his way after her. He'd caught up to her once they were practically out of the building and it looked like she was walking home.

"Eh, Kyoko-chan, are you walking home tonight?" he called out.

She paused and looked at him quizzically, though still smiling.

"K-Kijima-san! Good evening. Yes, I'm walking home right now."

He frowned. "But it's late and dark. It's dangerous to be walking out, especially for young girls." He caught up to her and gave her a sincere smile. "How about I give you a ride? I know we don't talk a lot or interact much, but I would still prefer to drive you home than to let you walk alone at this time of night."

He saw her still hesitating, so he gave her one more gentle push. "Please, Kyoko-chan? It'll make me feel better and sure that you're not going out in danger."

Of course, he had his ulterior motive and all…but he genuinely was concerned about her walking alone at night like this. He could, at least, give her a ride home. He was the kind of man that tried his best to be a gentleman and had always done his best to treat his woman well and give her the best. He also was the kind who still believed in chivalry.

Those things were partly why he was so successful with women after all.

"Thank you, Kijima-san. It's very kind of you. I would be grateful to accept your offer," she said politely, bowing as well.

He waved it off nonchalantly, still smiling. He offered his arm and then led the way around the building to where his car was.

"Are you hungry? We could stop by somewhere. I haven't had dinner yet, so I am," he asked her casually as he drove out of the garage lot.

"Ah, if Kijima-san is, then okay. I don't want to keep you from eating," her voice turned to worry and he thought it was sweet and cute of her. "And I am…Just a bit." She blushed slightly at that and that made it all the more cuter to him.

"Then what do you feel like eating?" he ran through the closest restaurants in his head, though he wasn't excluding out of the way ones.

"Hmm, it's been awhile since I've eaten there, so how about Moz Burgers?"

He nearly braked abruptly in shock, but stopped himself in time. He was treating her out and she was okay with fast food. Most women would be clamoring to get into starred restaurants and having eaten expensive meals.

"A-are you sure? Wouldn't you like to eat somewhere nicer? A restaurant nearby? Cantina's?" he asked weakly, still rather unsure.

"No, no! Moz Burgers is fine. I don't want to trouble Kijima-san or make him spend so much on me. Thank you so much for the consideration, Kijima-san!" she beamed at him and he caved.

He reached out and ruffled her hair, sighing inwardly to himself.

"Kyoko-chan is the one who's considerate. And very cute!" he said rather fondly, noting her darkening blush.

He found one quickly and went through the drive through, ordering and then waiting in line. He fiddled with the radio, skipping over a station playing some Fuwa Sho song and finding one he liked, letting the music lazily trail through his car peacefully.

"Ah, sorry, Kyoko-chan –did you like Fuwa Sho? I can put it back if you like?" he asked as an afterthought, though he was reluctant to.

"Tch, no thanks. I'm not a  _fan_  at all…What Kijima-san is listening to is much better!" she praised, though he had to wonder about the venom in her voice when she talked about Fuwa.

"Thank goodness. I dislike him and was worried you'd be a fan," he cringed, winking at her straight after to show he was teasing.

She smiled slightly, staring out her window. "No…I  _hate_  him."

His head whipped around towards her and he slightly gaped. He actually hadn't really thought that Kyoko was capable of that emotion, but though she was smiling there was a dark look to her eyes and her voice was sincerely hateful.

He blinked before putting on a smile, still inwardly confused and amazed. The way she sounded and looked though…it wasn't just someone who disliked an artist or whatever. It sounded personal. He wondered about the connection she must have with Fuwa, though since it seemed taboo he didn't push for answers. He especially didn't want to ruin the great night they were having so far, or the pleasant mood and atmosphere they were in.

"Well, we have something in common, huh?" he joked instead and could immediately see her relax slightly.

They were finally at the window when the next thing happened that had him learning something else about his passenger. He'd just handed over his card when the cashier blinked in surprise and in recognition. He sighed, getting ready to deal with it, when he was surprised that the cashier focused on Kyoko instead.

"Mogami-san? Is that you, Mogami-san? I know you look really different, but I'm pretty sure it's you!"

The girl by his side winced and gave a feeble smile to the cashier.

"Ah, yes. It's me, Izumi-san. How are you?'

"I'm doing great! But never mind me, how about you? You left so abruptly last time! Are you still a Fuwa Sho fan?"

Kijima flinched and quickly glanced furtively at Kyoko, whose face seemed to have frozen in its smiling state.

"Ahah…hahahaha…fan…I'm still very focused on him," Kyoko briefly growled low under her breath, not enough to be heard by anyone other than Kijima, but still rather frightening.

Kijima cleared his throat and smiled politely at the cashier. "Sorry, but we're a little in a hurry."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Let me just run this through," and the cashier handed back his card after. "You look…familiar," she commented, staring at him. "Ah, how do you two know each other?"

"I work with her," Kijima let his smile grow wider.

The cashier smiled back, nodding. She left to get their food, but he could tell that she was still thinking about it closely, trying to figure out who he was. And when she came back, her eyes were wide and staring at him in awe. He just kept on smiling as he accepted the food, before balancing the bags on his lap and driving away.

"Thank you, Kijima-san," Kyoko said quietly, and he had a feeling it was a thanks meant more for than just the food but for the block in conversation about Fuwa he'd provided.

"No problem," he declared steadily, ruffling her hair again. "Let's park over here and watch the stars while we eat, huh? It's nice out and we can get to know each other."

"That…that would be nice," Kyoko seemed suddenly shy.

He parked off to the side of the park and the both of them got out. He carelessly used a hand to jump onto the hood of his car, casually folding his legs Indian style. He patted the spot next to him as he grinned cheekily at his sort of 'date'.

"Eh, Kyoko-chan, hop on."

"A-are you sure?" she was obviously hesitant and her eyes were almost as wide as the cashier's. "I mean…your car…and it's expensive…And I don't want to dirty it or mess it up or something, Kijima-san!"

"It's fine, it's fine! Come on," he encouraged her, offering his hand to help her up. "I'm a spontaneous kind of guy, so I don't mind. It's good."

Still hesitant, she grabbed onto his hand and used her other hand to balance herself on his hood, before pushing herself up and trying to scramble on. He helped her onto it and soon enough, she was sitting next to him, her legs laid out in front of her.

"So, Kyoko-chan, how'd you know that lady cashier?" he asked to start conversation.

"Oh. Um, I used to work there with her," Kyoko's voice was tinged in embarrassment.

Kijima stopped short of taking a bite from his burger in favor of staring at her. She started turning red after a while of it and Kijima snapped out of it.

"I'm sorry. I just have trouble picturing you working there, or thinking of you working in a place like that at all," he smiled sheepishly.

"Really?" Kyoko asked in surprise. "I only worked there not too long ago."

"What? Really?" he was incredulous about that. With how fast Kyoko seemed to be gaining recognition, and how amazing her transformation into Mio was, it was hard to picture her as anything but an actress.

"Yes," Kyoko bashfully grinned. "Let's see…the Kurara commercial was the first thing I've ever done in showbiz, and really auditioned for…and that wasn't too long ago was it? And…I think that it was only maybe a few months or even less that I even got into LME or anything in showbiz, and before that I worked at Moz Burgers and Darumaya part-time each. I wanted full-time, but since I was only 16 and only finished junior high, I could only get that."

"Wow, that's really impressive," he complimented her. "When did you work at Moz Burgers and Darumaya?"

"I had 10 hours at Moz Burgers, from 7 to 4, and then I went straight to Darumaya and worked 4:15 to 11 for around 7 hours, I think?" she mused aloud.

He nearly choked on the fry he was eating. He hadn't actually thought she was working both places the same day –more that she worked one place for a while before quitting and going to another, or something of the like.

"Ah. I-I see. I wasn't thinking you were working both part-time jobs," he commented dazedly. "Why would you need to?"

"I was…I was living in an expensive apartment. The person I was living with wanted to live in somewhere nice, but was only starting out in his job so he wasn't being paid well at first. I was paying the rent and for groceries and stuff," she started mumbling near the end.

"What happened to that person? Are you still with him?" he asked, curious and a little worried. If she had someone, he was more reticent to pursue (he wasn't one for cheating, thank you very much). On the other hand, if it was a girl he truly liked or wanted, he'd shake off that issue and come after her anyways (like he was leaning towards for Kyoko). Besides, the guy sounded like a jerk anyhow. Or that was the feel he was getting…

All of a sudden, he was getting chills though. He looked over at Kyoko in alarm, seeing her head hanging depressingly and an aura of gloom and hate surrounding her.

' _Taboo! Tabootabootaboo –switch subject, switch subject!'_

Damn, he hit a landmine straight on. He had to do something and recover fast, or else the night (and his progress) was ruined. At least he didn't have another guy standing in the way…

"Never mind, he's just old news, huh, Kyoko-chan?" he forced out a grin, reaching out to ruffle her hair. He changed his mind and instead moved his hand to brush a piece of her hair behind her ears, his words and action startling her.

"Yeah…y-yeah, he's…old news," she gave a small smile.

Nice recovery.

"Anyways, what jobs do you have lined up after Dark Moon?" he changed it to something that should be safer to talk about.

Her smile faltered and he thought that maybe that might not be the case.

"Um, I have a lot of roles in drama coming up…they're just…" she trailed off and his curiosity grew.

"They're just?" he prompted gently.

She sighed. "They're all mean roles. The main role I have coming up is a bully in school, and the director told me to just make it 'Mio-like'. I'm very grateful for all the roles…I just wanted to play a role different from Mio. I don't know what I should do, Kijima-san. You're…you're a veteran actor like Tsuruga-san, right? What would you do? Should I accept all of them? Or refuse them? Or maybe some of them?"

He didn't usually talk work during a date or when he was trying to work a girl or pick one up, but looking at her face (which was adorably scrunching up and slightly tearing), he couldn't really say no to her when she looked like that.

He pushed aside his food and lay back on his car, crossing his ankles as he laid them out and cushioning his head on his arms as he thought about her dilemma.

"Hmm, well, when I just started out I was just a bachelor living in Tokyo in a small, kind of crowded apartment. I had bills to pay –and rent –so I wasn't stingy about any roles. I took whatever roles were offered to me and auditioned for any roles that were available. In fact, if I remember right, I tried to audition for a role that needed a black person to play it…and I was kicked out pretty much the moment I entered, but hey –what can you do? I think rent was coming up and I hadn't had any roles for a while, so I really needed a job."

Kyoko giggled and the sound of it and her cheering up brought a light smile onto his lips.

"Actually, I should have gotten something part-time, like you, so I could have done something to make sure I could actually live on my own and have a fallback until I was able to make it big," he mused, knowing it might have made life easier, especially financially-wise.

"Eh," Kyoko scrunched up her nose. "It's hard to picture Kijima-san as a struggling actor. It would have been a waste for you to do anything but acting! Kijima-san is such a great actor after all."

Kijima laughed, slightly embarrassed but flattered and surprised she thought so.

"So anyways, it'll be a good idea to try all of them. At least you could show and build a reputation about being a hard worker and stave off any rumors of being snobbish. Plus, you end up building connections this way, and also build a repertoire with a bunch of different directors and actors, who might keep you in mind for future projects or even recommend you to other directors and for other roles."

"Oh! I never thought about it like that," Kyoko grinned wryly.

He waved it off. "It's industry stuff. Mostly behind the scene kind of things you learn as you grow in the showbiz world. It has less to do with acting and talent, and more to do with social ladders and connections. Some people are genuine and some are just snakes and suck up to everyone to try to beat out other better-skilled actors."

"Does that make me a snake or genuine then?" she asked wide-eyed.

He stared at her, unable to believe she'd actually asked that. He poked her forehead harshly, inciting a yell and then a pout.

"You are one of, if not the most, genuine people I know, silly girl. When I say you should try to build connections and try to make yourself look good, it's for your own good, not for greediness or selfishness. Snakes are greedy little shits, who think only about themselves. In showbiz –or any type of workplace, really –it's one thing to try to build yourself up. Then there's crossing the line. And you're being sincere. It's an entirely different thing when you're sincere, honest, and being true to yourself, as opposed to faking it to only  _look_  good in front of others."

"Oh, I see," she mumbled, still rubbing her forehead.

"What? You want me to kiss it better?" he smirked at her teasingly.

"K-Kijima-san!" she squeaked and he started laughing.

She hit his shoulder and he was amazed that she was already comfortable enough with him to do so.

"Hurry it up. It's getting late and I've got to bring Cinderella home," he sat up, grabbing his garbage and balling it up.

"C-Cinderella," he heard her mumbling and he turned to see her picking up her stuff with her face bright red and a happy smile on her lips.

He did actually bring her straight home after that, noting in surprise that it seemed she lived at Darumaya, the place she mentioned she'd previously worked at.

It was, after all, he decided a bit too early to go in for the kill.

He'd have to take his time with this one, and work hard and patiently, but he didn't really mind that at all. Kyoko seemed like she was one of a kind. She was quite worth it.

Kijima was looking forward to it.

Started 11/6/1 – Completed 11/8/12


	2. In For the Kill

_Kyoko-chan, wanna go for some castella?_

Kyoko had been staring at the text for the past fifteen minutes. She'd hesitantly given a positive reply soon after she'd gotten the message…but now she couldn't help going back to the unexpected message and wonder, not for the first time, if she was imagining it.

She'd never gotten mail from anyone other than Kanae before.

Honestly, Kyoko didn't know what to think of Kijima. He wasn't what she expected. Since his arrival on set and his introduction to the Dark Moon cast, and basically the beginning of his work with them, she had never really interacted much with the actor. Or gotten close.

They were polite to each other in meeting, a kind greeting passing by, and had good (if shallow and superficial) talks if they were with each other long or had to wait together. He was plenty flirty, as was his personality, and he even was with her. He never stepped over his boundaries or made anyone feel uncomfortable. He disliked fighting, and usually tried for diplomacy if he couldn't just outright find a way out.

He knew how to cheer up or make anyone feel good, but especially women (Iizuka was a great example –she'd been fighting with her husband and had come to work upset, and Kijima had smoothly made the older woman flattered and feel better in no time; rumors said that he'd also managed to get the couple to work things out and practically fix things himself).

Kyoko, herself, had been on the receiving end of his generosity. When Ren had been scheduled to do something else and wasn't there, she'd been in a slump about getting into Mio's character because of a run in with stupid Sho at school. Kijima had shown up and managed to cheer her up and make her forget about her worries and even Sho, even though he hadn't helped her get into character like Ren would have. It was nice, though, that he had been focused on her well-being and making her feel better, even making the both of them forget and not be ready for work (even as far as Kijima being late for his costume fitting and sheepishly having to endure an angry lecture from the costume director –he'd merely stood there and listened and then apologized, though the discreet wink he sent over to Kyoko told her he wasn't too bothered).

And then there was last night, where he had actually hung out with her.

It was so…unexpected. He'd never gone that far as to spend so much time with her or actually seek her out. Of the women on set, though he pretty much talked and got along with everyone and was equally attentive to all the women there, Itsumi and Oohara were the two he most spent time with. He'd never before actively sought her out, or chose her in particular to be with.

She didn't know what to make of it all.

Especially now that it seemed he was making a habit of it, and looked like he wanted to continue spending time with her and getting to know her.

_Is 3 okay? Can I pick you up?_

Kyoko stared at the newest text. Her hands hesitantly moved to her phone and with a few clicks…she agreed and then waited anxiously for the older man to arrive.

She was startled out of her thoughts when her phone buzzed and she saw another text from Kijima telling her he was there. Surprised, she glanced at the time and saw it was 3 already. Eyes widening, she tried to hurriedly fix herself up, and then rushed out and grabbed her jacket. She had made it to the interior of the restaurant, only to see Kijima already there and politely chatting up the kind couple she was staying with.

"Ah, Kijima-san, you didn't have to get out of your car!" she blurted out in embarrassment.

He looked at her puzzled, but gave her a sweet smile. "I didn't mind. Besides, why wouldn't I come to get you? It's only polite."

She flushed red, though she didn't want to, at his gentlemanly courtesy and wondered (not for the first time) if one could be a gentleman while being a playboy? Could the two traits really coexist in one person? Because the only way she could really describe Kijima was some kind of gentleman playboy.

"Goodbye," Kijima cheerily told the old couple, giving a kind smile to them as he offered his arm to Kyoko.

Still red, Kyoko accepted the arm and said her goodbyes to them as well before she was led out.

"The place I saw sells a really amazing and unusual castella. I thought you'd like it. You like sweets, right?" Kijima asked her.

Kyoko smiled widely at him. "Yes. I love pastries and desserts. I like to try making them myself, but when I can afford to try it somewhere, it's always nice to be able to get to try it there."

"I love sweets," Kijima echoed her wide smile. "You can think of me as…a kind of sweet hunter sometimes," he chuckled lightly. "I'd love to try some of what you make."

Flattered and blushing even more now, she nearly tripped into Kijima's car as he opened the door for her.

"You alright there?"

"Yeah, I'm good!"

Again avoiding any Fuwa Sho songs (she was so happy and relieved that Kijima didn't like his music, and even seem to dislike said music and artist greatly), he drove them to a very homely diner.

Kijima eagerly ushered her inside and she had to watch her smile at his enthusiasm. However, once he'd ordered the castella and had it delivered to them, she couldn't help gasping.

"A black castella?"

"Wait until you actually take a bite," Kijima smugly said.

So she took a bite of a slice he'd cut for her, and hummed in pleasure. The coloring was dark, so she like the colorful ama natto topping, and could taste the black sesame and muscovado that was mixed in.

"Good, right?" Kijima excitedly asked.

"Yes~" Kyoko thought it was more than good.

"Good," and then Kijima startled her as he leaned over and his face was too close to hers, further surprising her as his tongue darted out and licked at the corner of her mouth.

She jerked back in her seat and stared at him in shock, before panicking and glancing around them to see if anyone else had seen that. But no one else had paid them any attention, and they were luckily enough secluded.

"Sorry, you had a bit near your mouth," Kijima said nonchalantly, and she continued to stare at him and his blasé attitude. He was acting like he hadn't done something incredibly…odd (what else was she to call it?) and was acting perfectly normal and like it was fine.

His eyes darkened and he stared back at her in challenge.

She inwardly shivered (but she wasn't sure  _why_  she did) and was very sure that Kijima was completely certain that what he did had unnerved her and was waiting for her to call him out on it or to do something about it.

She stayed quiet and backed down, knowing this was too unknown a territory for her to travel in. His eyes lightened back to normal and  _he_  was back to normal, bringing up the new storyline that was being introduced to the drama they were in. In safer territory, she talked with him more securely and became as lively about the discussion as he had.

She told herself to forget the encounter and put it out of mind.

When they finished up there, they'd headed to his car. She hadn't actually thought they'd do anything else, but as soon as they'd both sat in the car, Kijima had turned to her with a serious look on his face. He opened his mouth but then shut it, glancing away from her in frustration. He turned on the car and the radio immediately sprung to life.

" _I'm going in for the kill. I'm doing it for the thrill –"_

' _Fuck,'_  he cursed in his head. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Kyoko wanly.

"That's…oddly prophetic," he said, confusing her. "Look, I'm not quite sure how to handle you in this kind of situation. I'm plenty sure about my skills in flirting and with enticing you, but for this…So I'm just going to be blunt about it and be straight with you," Kijima told her plainly.

Feeling off-tilted and still confused, Kyoko nodded to show she understood his wish, if not the why behind what he was trying to do.

"Kyoko-chan, I wanna have a little fun. The thing is, I want to with  _you_ ," Kijima leaned a little too close to her and her breath sped up as her face heated up. "To be plain, you know I like to get together with women. I won't push you…but how about it? Do you want to have a little fun with me?" he smirked roguishly and she inhaled sharply, eyes widening as she finally understood what he was getting at.

After staying quiet for a few seconds, she saw Kijima nod and grin wryly, moving away from her.

"It's alright, Kyoko-chan. If you don't want to, you don't want to. If you want me to take you home now, I could. Or we could find some other thing to do –I think there's a new Apple store that opened in the mall –"

"Isn't that kind of thing something people do for love?" she blurted out, interrupting him.

Kijima blinked and turned back to her. "Well…" he looked thoughtful and then looked at her in scrutiny. She felt her blush darkened.

Once again, he moved closer to her, putting his arm around her shoulders and drawing her to him.

"No, it doesn't have to be," he murmured, his breath fanning across her face as he gave her a heated look. She could smell the castella they'd eaten on his breath, and involuntarily licked her lips. His eyes darted down to her mouth at the action before looking back into her eyes, his eyes again darkening. She dazedly noticed that his usually green eyes were gray when that happened. Kijima had pretty greenish-gray eyes…

Before she could think anymore, his lips were on hers and she realized that she was finally having her first kiss. With Kijima. In his car.  _And she wasn't moving away or freaking out_.

In fact, he was easily enticing her into moving with him. He'd managed to lift her up from her seat and somehow transfer her onto his lap, pushing her up against his window as his hands found their purchase behind her, flat against the mid of her back and curved around her waist. His chest was pressed against hers, and he'd moved the hand firmly planted on her waist up and entangled it within her hair, using it to push her head more against him.

And when his tongue slid against her lower lip and dipped into her mouth when she gasped at that, she couldn't help her hands flying from their awkward perch on his door to clutch at the front of his shirt.

By the time he'd pulled away, she was out of breath and breathing heavily, with her head feeling like it had short-circuited.

"Maybe we should move this and continue somewhere a little more comfortable," he looked at her and she could see the desire in his eyes, even hidden as much as Kijima was able to.

But there was still a question in those very same eyes, giving her yet another chance to back out and that there wouldn't be any hard feelings.

"Where are we going then? What…what should I be doing?" she tried not to let her voice sound shaky.

"Put on your seatbelt," he told her, voice steady but quiet.

She slowly moved back onto her seat and put on her seatbelt.

Getting his answer, Kijima put the car out of park and into drive, getting out of the parking lot.

Without further ado, Kijima headed to his destination and Kyoko wasn't quite sure what she was getting into. But she didn't want to and definitely wasn't going to back off and change her mind now. And she admitted she was a little curious (maybe a lot actually…) about this whole thing and that she really liked the feelings and sensations Kijima made her feel. She liked what he was doing to her and didn't want to stop now.

Though the drive was quiet, it wasn't too uncomfortable. It was tense, but it was the kind of tension that Kyoko had never experienced before and made her feel hot for some reason. It was…it was some kind of sexual tension, she could guess.

It was made even more prominent when Kijima moved a hand over and put it heavily on her leg. That it began to gently rub through the cloth of her skirt, made the tension feel so solid she could cut it with a knife. At least, she thought so.

His hand stayed at that spot, thankfully, but its continuous and warm rubbing wound her up and she couldn't help her breath speeding up once more. She was almost glad when they finally made it to wherever was his destination and also of when he took his hand off, but she also admitted to the equal disappointment she felt.

And then she was realizing she was probably heading to  _his apartment_.

Back to being nervous (and the realization that she was actually there, this was really happening, and she was about to and had actually made the decision to go with Kijima and do…whatever it is he had in mind), she said nothing as Kijima led her to the elevator in the parking lot and then they were soon enough out of it and heading to his penthouse.

When they were finally inside of Kijima's home, she watched as he smoothly took off his jacket and tossed it aside. He ran his hand through his hair and then turned to her with a small grin. He held out his hand to her.

"Let me take your jacket," he said softly, and when she hesitantly handed it over he put it with his own discarded jacket.

Then he was stepping closer to her and got right into her personal space, eyes roving from her head to toe.

"Kyoko-chan, you know I don't force others to be with me, right?" he spoke gently, his hand moving to brush her hair behind her ear and then cup her face.

She looked at him and then took a deep breath, steeling herself. She stepped closer to him and closed the rest of the distance, moving to the tip of her toes to tentatively kiss his lips.

"I know," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous."

Kijima gave her a reassuring smile and then took her hand as he led her up the stairs and into his room. Once there, he turned and then kissed her lightly before closing the door behind her. She was led to his huge bed (what was with the actors in her life and huge beds?) and sat down on the edge.

She was embarrassed to let out a squeak when Kijima lifted one of her legs and began to place sweet kisses, starting from the ankle and working his way up. He briefly gave her a small smile before he continued, and she tried to relax herself. When he gently laid her back onto his bed and hovered over her, she tried not to close her eyes and squeeze them tight.

"Kyoko-chan, what's your most erotic fantasy?" he asked her and she couldn't help at least squeaking in her head.

"M-my most erotic fantasy?" she repeated, feeling her face heat up. When he gave her another one of his reassuring smiles, she tried not to babble her response. "Um…kissing. That's…that's as far as my mind comes up with. What I've done so far. Which was with you."

She saw his eyebrows rise up slightly and couldn't help feeling embarrassed again.

"That's really the extent of your experience?" he asked her curiously and she was relieved that he didn't sound mocking or something of the like. "You've never experimented with anyone or did anything short of actual intercourse? Have you ever touched yourself?"

She shook her head, still embarrassed and hoping Kijima didn't think she was boring and unappealing now.

_A part of her had liked that Kijima had been disproving Sho about his words about her…_

"I-I guess I'm rather boring and all, huh Kijima-san?" she laughed weakly, looking away from him.

She was jerked back to the present happenings when Kijima gave her another one of his heart-stopping kisses.

"Not at all," he murmured against her lips, looking at her with half-lidded eyes. He smirked. "I find it really hot and kind of erotic myself, that I get to be the first to do  _anything_ with you."

Then she felt his hand glide down her belly, down her thigh, and then slip under her skirt. She automatically bit her lip when she felt two of his fingers brush against her most intimate spot above her underwear.

"Lesson one," he said playfully. "In which one utilizes their fingers and hands to bring themselves or their partner to orgasm. Case –a handjob or fingering."

And then his fingers were slowly rubbing her through her panty, keeping a steady pace and becoming torturously slow to her. Kijima was on his side, one arm under her and supporting her, while the other was busy creating a heavenly and hellish buildup between her legs.

“You’re so wet already, Kyoko-chan,” he teased. “And I’ve just started.”

She whimpered.

He suddenly pinched her clit through the cloth of her panty and she cried out. She could feel his smirk against her cheek.

“Don’t hold back, Kyoko,” his voice sounded rough. He pushed the palm of his hand as roughly against her as he’d sounded. “My place is soundproof. Let me _hear you_.”

And then he was pushing aside her underwear and inserting a finger into her vagina, swirling it around and then curving it. He pulled it back and then pushed back in, and she felt him brush his thumb against her clit after the fifth time. Then he was putting in another finger and then a third, and then he was thrusting them in and out of her at the same time as he began to repeatedly flick his thumb against her clitoris.

She could _feel_ his fingers inside of her, more so as they kept their motions up. By then, she knew she was babbling nonsensical things and that she was practically incoherent. Kyoko was pretty sure she (or at least her body) didn’t care.

“You should see your face, _Ky-o-ko_ ~,” he sing-songed into her ear, nuzzling it before pressing a kiss against her temple. “So _beautiful_.”

“N-ngh,” she moaned. But the words he said cut through her mindless haze and she felt extremely giddy. Beautiful. He’d called her beautiful. And this was without the aid of magic and makeup…

“K-Kijima-saaan!” she bucked upwards and he took advantage of her movement to thrust in at the same time, and this time hitting her sweet spot with accurate aim. She let out a full scream then and could feel herself cumming on his fingers.

She watched mesmerized as Kijima sat up and began licking his fingers clean of her juices, her mouth dropping and feeling herself start to drip again at the erotic display. Then he leaned over to her and nuzzled her shoulder affectionately.

“S’ankyuu, Kyoko,” he kissed her shoulder, and hearing her name without an attachment and from him…and with such a husky tone…It made her shudder delightfully. “I had lots of fun.”

“Is…is that all? We’re not…we’re not going to do anything else?” she asked hesitantly.

He kissed her cheek before backing off, his wry grin making her want to grin back but she wanted to know why he wasn’t going to do more with her.

“Kyoko-chan, you’re a virgin, right? That’s one thing, but with you having not done anything at all and actually not knowing anything…It kind of makes me feel like I’m taking advantage of you if I go further.”

“But…but you still haven’t been…satisfied,” Kyoko blushed red, noticing the huge bulge in his pants.

“S’alright. I wanted to make this about you and make you feel good. I can take care of myself in the bathroom,” he said sheepishly, but she frowned.

“Can I watch you?” she blurted out, startling him and surprising him with her request.

He looked at her calculatingly before shrugging.

“Alright.”

He moved up slowly and got off the bed, and she could tell his erection was bothering him. But he kept on, grabbing a chair and moving it to the foot of the bed. He unbuckled his belt slowly and then sat down, gazing at her in interest. She licked her lips and then crawled closer, settling herself comfortably on her knees as she hunched over and leaned on the weight of her hands as she leaned to watch.

Kijima chuckled and his grin came back.

“I suppose I should give you some kind of show then?”

Even as she turned red, Kijima’s eyes became hooded as he focused his gaze on her, his hands gliding up his thighs and then slowly unzipping his pants. Aware that her mouth had opened and that she was actually slightly panting, Kyoko’s red face darkened as she watched closely and felt rather like a pervert right then.

God, but Kijima was being so sexy with his slow and minimal movements. Had he done this before? Did he frequently give shows to other women? How was he so good at this –?

“Thank you, but no actually,” Kijima’s amused voice cut into her inner monologue, and she realized in horror that she’d been thinking aloud. “I don’t actually do this often and haven’t done it before. I guess for this you get to be my first, Kyoko-chan.”

One hand gripped the base of his shaft as the other took it out of his pants. He took leisure movements, slowly rubbing his cock in front of her. She watched as after a few rubs, precum began to gather at the tip. Seeing her eyes gazing intently there, Kijima brushed his thumb against the top, swiping a bit of precum and spreading it a little. Kyoko swallowed heavily, her mouth feeling dry.

He sped up to a more normal pace and she looked up from his moving hand on his erect cock, to see him staring right back at her. Their eyes locked and stayed that way for a few more moments, his hand never stopping. And then she crawled off the bed and moved towards him, curiously kneeling between his sprawled legs and stilled his hand with hers.

“Kijima-san,” she murmured, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. His cock stiffened up even more from the unintentionally sexy look. “Please teach me. I want to know about all this. I want _you_ to be the one who teaches me. Please, _Sensei_. You said this didn’t have to be for love.”

He held back his groan and instead studied her face. She could tell he was considering it and tried to not show any more nervousness or hesitation, drawing whatever courage she could from Mio and even a little from Angel B. And then he took his hand off his cock and replaced it over hers, closing tighter around his shaft.

He started to show her just the way he liked to be jerked off.

Started 11/29/12 – Completed 11/30/12


	3. Dirty. Little. SECRET.

Kijima bit his lip as their combined hold on his shaft caused him to cum faster than he was expecting. He panted harshly, feeling sweat drip off his brow, though he looked up and watched Kyoko watch his cock spurt cum out in fascination. He cracked a grin and took her attention away from it, pulling her into a heated kiss.

"You hungry?" he croaked, slowly catching his breath.

She blinked. "Huh?"

His grin quirked up a little more, though he did understand how odd it was to switch from sex to food. "It's dinner, sweetheart. What are you feeling up to eating?"

They had, after all, spent around just two hours at the diner. And their little tête-à-tête in his room was pretty sure around an hour as well. Driving times varied, but also added to what time they'd taken together. Glancing at the clock, his calculation was right that it was about 7:00-ish.

"I'm craving Chinese takeout," he finally decided, looking at her questioningly.

She put up her hands. "No, no. I really don't want to continue to be a bother to Kijima-san, or to further impose on you…"

Kijima shook his head, his grin turning wry.

"Kyoko-chan, I just fingered you and you just jerked me off. There is definitely no imposing on anyone in here. Please, just feel free to make yourself comfortable and feel at home. I offer at least that."

"Chinese is good then," she murmured, flopping back on his bed and did a full body stretch that did wonders for his imagination and began to stir him up again.

Indulging himself, he climbed on top of her and began splattering kisses all over as he moved up and focused on her neck and then trailed up her chin and to her lips, enjoying her squeaks and moans equally.

"My heart keeps stopping. Is that normal?" Kyoko muttered dazedly.

He just chuckled and planted one last kiss on her lips before getting off and making himself presentable to go out.

"I'll be back, okay?"

He heard her mutter something incoherently and he shook his head in amusement as he moved out, grabbing his jacket. He made the decision to walk, since his favorite Chinese restaurant was only a block away. On the way there, he used his cell phone to call the place she was staying at.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this the Darumaya?"

"Yes, who is this?" and since he was calling the home line, he did get it was a little odd.

"This is Kijima Hidehito, from earlier? I was calling to ask if it was okay if Kyoko-chan ended up crashing at my apartment. We're about to have dinner, but I think she might be too exhausted after to go anyway and might just fall asleep."

"Oh, Kijima-san! I remember your voice now. Is Kyoko-chan okay?"

"Yes, she's just tired."

"I see. Well, I don't want to disturb her. Thank you for your kindness. Please take care of her."

Kijima bowed politely as he finished up on the phone. "No, thank you for your kindness. I'll make sure she's taken cared of."

After that, he hurried over to order their dinner and then waited for a little bit for the food to finish before he started jogging back. By the time he'd reached home, Kyoko was on her front and lying comfortably on his bed, drifting in and out of sleep.

"Hey now, eat a little first before going to sleep. Don't skip a meal," he murmured, just the slightest tinge of a teasing tone entering his voice to make Kyoko feel a little more at ease.

"Alright," she sighed, reluctantly sitting up and settling more comfortably on the bed.

They started eating, but Kijima noticed that the entire time Kyoko's face was entirely red and she wouldn't look at him. It was cute and he couldn't help smiling while watching her, but her continuing to avoid looking at him made his smile falter.

"Kyoko-chan, do you regret it?" he asked softly.

"N-no!" she said immediately, jerking her head up to stare at him. "I'm just…embarrassed. Agreeing to something like this is really unlike me…and doing all that…it's something new to me. It's, um, weird. Doing those kinds of things."

Kijima couldn't help laughing lightly, looking at her fondly.

"I understand, Kyoko-chan. You do seem like the type to be shy about this stuff, which is why I was kind of surprised you went along with it and that you wanted to watch in the end. Maybe there's a little part inside of you that's rather naughtier, eh Kyoko~" he teased, pleased to see her bright red and stuttering, further entertaining him with her lively expressions.

"Ah, Kijima-san," she started again, a little later when they were finishing up eating. "I was wondering…what are we now? I mean…we were just starting to become friends –er, we were, weren't we?" she asked anxiously, wondering if she was wrong.

He gave her a reassuring smile and nod, so she continued with her question. "So what now? We're not 'lovers', because there's no love," here, she had scrunched up her nose and he had to wonder now if maybe she had something against love. That was the second time, if he recalled right…

"We're friends, right? So I'd say we're like friends with…benefits," Kijima explained hesitantly. "Actually, that is the actual term for our kind of relationship, outside of being friends in general."

"Friends with benefits?" she blinked.

Kijima nodded. "FWB's are friends who decide to sleep together, casually, and not be in an actual relationship and have no strings attached. So it's the sex without the intimacy, aside from the physical intimacy and friendship."

Kyoko bit her lip and nodded vaguely a few times to show she understood the concept, getting lost in thought.

"You tired still?" he murmured to her.

She smiled sheepishly and he went over to her and grabbed her trash and cleaned up a bit as he talked.

"You can go ahead and crash on my bed," he told her. "I called your place to check in and tell them you'd probably stay the night, considering your first time and all, which usually makes a person tired and wiped out. So not imposing," he finished, adding the last part adamantly and interrupting her before she could protest.

She pouted and he just grinned at her.

Once she'd easily fallen back to sleep, his grin fell away and he slumped in his seat and ran a hand through his hair, an ingrained habit since high school.

What was he doing? Why would he agree to such a thing? He had sex, he didn't teach it. He had no idea how he would. How was he going to coach Kyoko through something like that, and what exactly would he be teaching anyways? How do you teach sex in the first place?

He gave his word though, and he wouldn't take it back. He hated that kind of thing, and anyone who easily or uncaringly did so wasn't someone he cared for. He definitely wouldn't do that to Kyoko.

That still begged the question of what the heck was he going to teach her? Or how. What was she even expecting?

He could just start with the basics, what people should know about. They covered 'hands'. He guessed 'oral' would be next, and then actual penetration. Was he actually going to teach all that?

Kijima wasn't even sure how it'd gotten to this point, actually. He was kind of surprised that it had ended this way, and that he'd gotten to have Kyoko. He'd expected he'd have to take time, coax her, especially since Kyoko seemed the really wary type about that kind of thing. But that she'd gone along with it…

She really was an unpredictable and surprising one.

He was surprised at himself as well. He had expected he'd have to take time, that he had to be patient…so he didn't understand why he'd just thrown that idea out the window while he'd taken her out to eat castella. He was never usually that aggressive. He had never been. So to actually be that way, especially with the likes of Kyoko…

But a part of him had felt like he just knew that Kyoko was a challenge. More that he could challenge her and that something told him there was something in her that could bite back. That Kyoko could be the one that fought back; not Mio or whoever, but Kyoko.

So he'd taken that leap and risk. He wasn't sure he'd landed.

Sighing to himself, he rummaged around for his laptop, his textbooks and notes, and set them at his desk. Making sure his laptop was turning on correctly, he started organizing his notes and turned the pages in his textbooks to the right places, before he turned back to his laptop and typed in the password. Finding his glasses, he put them on and then began to do some work.

It was some time later that he heard rustling and then Kyoko's voice.

"You're still up, Kijima-san?" she still sounded sleepy.

"Hm? Yeah. You alright?"

"Sore," she murmured, letting out a yawn after.

"Wait until you actually go all the way," he teased her and he could imagine her red face as he heard her sputter.

"Hmph, pervert," she muttered, getting up and crossing over to his bathroom.

She was quick in there and then she was curiously heading over to him, sitting patiently by his feet.

"What are you doing?" she couldn't help asking.

He stopped and looked at her with an embarrassed smile. "Schoolwork."

The answer surprised her. "Schoolwork?"

"Un. After high school, I quit with education and booked it straight to Tokyo to get serious on my acting career. I worked as a child actor a little, didn't work at all during junior high, and then had sporadic work during high school. It was all little stuff, or side roles, but I wanted to be bigger than that and admittedly was big-headed and arrogant then. I was, at least, ambitious," he grinned silly at her. "But now that I'm older and have actually made it rather big, I wanted to get back into my schooling a bit. Actually do college, since I skipped it to start acting. I must seem kind of stupid, huh?" he laughed a little.

She shook her head, leaning against his legs. "Nuh uh. 'Sides…I skipped high school. I finished junior high and then moved here, to Tokyo. I missed first year, but the President of LME was nice enough to get me into a special high school, and I've been studying in second year now. You think I can do college?"

Though he wanted to question her about why she didn't go to high school at first and had moved to Tokyo, and also about her President doing such a huge favor so easily and without asking for something, he bit back those questions to answer hers.

"Sure, why not? You could do some college classes already; do classes for prerequisites or gen ed that get counted for later on when you get into an actual college. What do you want to major in?"

Kyoko grew sheepish, grinning shyly. "Not really sure. How about Kijima-san?"

"Me? I'm majoring in chemical engineering."

Kyoko froze, her grin stuck on her face as she stared at him. She blinked. Then she mentally crawled to his mental bed, crawled under the mental covers, burrowed herself deep into it, and had a good mental cry. She was tempted to do it for real.

"C-chemical engineering? Wow…" That was all she could get out.

Kijima became sheepish too, laughing slightly as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Yeah, I know. I don't look the type, right? Or seem."

Kyoko blushed. "No, not really. Well, maybe a little, with those glasses. I didn't know you wore glasses."

Kijima grabbed his glasses and held them up. "These? They're actually more reading glasses. I don't usually need them, except for long, and I mean really long, amounts of reading I have to do. I don't even use them for scripts. Just schoolwork, textbooks, reading books, stuff like that."

"Ah. I see. How long are you still going to be up, Kijima-san?"

"Not too long," he ruffled her hair, and she was instantly reminded of the time they first hung out. "I'll be done soon. You can head back to bed first."

She shook her head. "I'll wait for Kijima-san."

His lips twitched up, but he didn't say anything and went back to focus on his work. She repeatedly started to nod off while she waited, but she stubbornly stayed up and waited for him, even while leaning against his legs.

He finished up and turned off his laptop, and she finally scurried over to his bed, plopping down on it lazily. He chuckled in his head and followed after, slipping off his button up and his pants, leaving only his boxers on to sleep in. He didn't say anything to the bright red blush decorating Kyoko's face, but he did make a pleased hum in his head as he slipped into his bed beside her.

"Hey, Kyoko-chan. I'm a cuddler. You don't mind me cuddling, do you?"

"N-no, it's fine."

This time, he was much more vocal with his pleased hum as he scooted right next to her and hugged her close. He had no idea why most guys complained about cuddling and saying it was girly or something. He loved cuddling.

So soft…

* * *

 

When Kijima woke up, he found his makeshift teddy bear was no longer beside him. Instead, he blinked and realized he was cuddling up to a pillow. Inwardly pouting, he wondered where Kyoko had gone off to, and thought that maybe she had finally freaked out and had snuck out of his apartment.

Getting up slowly, he lethargically stumbled out of his room and then was surprised to smell the delicious aroma of food. Hearing someone in his kitchen, he followed the noises and also let his nose lead him to where Kyoko was cooking tamagoyaki, with Western-styled sausages and buttered toasts already set up at the table.

She was wearing his button up and only that, having probably snagged it on the way to start cooking breakfast (he had been pondering why Kyoko's clothes were scattered on his floor earlier). He admired the way it clung to her, and let his eyes appreciate the lovely view. He was such a sucker for women in his clothing, and Kyoko especially looked perfect in his shirt…

"Ah, good morning, Kijima-san!" Kyoko greeted him cheerily, turning from the stove for a second to grant him a smile.

He grinned back. "Ehhh, Kyoko-chan is making me breakfast?"

"Un! It's…kind of a thank you. For yesterday," Kyoko explained shyly, her face starting to turn red. "It was all I could think I could do to pay Kijima-san back…"

Kijima felt really warm inside. No one's ever really done something like this for him, and he was really touched. Actually, no one's ever really cooked for him before and it's been a really long time since he'd had a homemade meal.

Well, there was that one time where one of the girls he'd dated had wanted to try to cook him something, and it really didn't end up well for him…

Slightly apprehensive after remembering that time (but not showing it), he tried a bite and hoped it tasted as good as it looked (because he really didn't want it to taste like acid and he was already giving points for the food looking at least edible). He practically melted at the taste.

Strike that. He was totally not counting that time with whatever her name was. Kyoko was definitely the first person to do something like this.

"Kyoko-chan! This is delicious!" he exclaimed, hands itching to take another sausage and a toast, but he didn't want to be rude and start without her, especially since she wasn't even done cooking. "You're making me want to be impolite and start in on the food already."

Kyoko laughed lightly. "I'm almost done with the rolled omelets. Promise!"

"Okay, okay. I'll make some coffee. You want some?" Kijima headed over to his coffeemaker.

"No, it's fine. I don't really like coffee. I usually drink some green tea or water in the morning," Kyoko said as she started to finish up.

"I have green tea bags," Kijima offered before becoming sheepish. "I do the bare minimum of making things. I am a bachelor, you know."

Kyoko giggled and shook her head, putting the tamagoyaki onto plates and bringing it to the table. Kijima joined her, leaving his coffee to brew while he brought over her green tea.

"Itadakimasu!" they both said before beginning to eat.

When his coffee finished brewing, he made himself a cup and dumped a bunch of sugar and creamer into it. Kyoko fought back a smile, though it was obvious.

"You really do have a sweet tooth," she finally just let herself full out grin at him.

He returned it good naturedly. "I need coffee in the morning to be coherent…but I will never take it straight."

They shared a laugh before going back to their meal. Afterwards, they were getting ready for the day, since they both had work on the Dark Moon set. Kijima had his clothes ready and he'd found some old clothes an ex-girlfriend had left for Kyoko to use. Impatient and an idea growing in his head, he slipped into his bathroom, where he had let Kyoko take a shower first. He stripped down and snuck in.

"Kijima-san!" Kyoko squeaked, and Kijima just gave her a silly grin.

"But Kyoko-chan~ After each lesson, we should keep up practice and make sure you can keep it up. So let's see what you've learned," Kijima grinned mischievously, but though she squeaked again, she threw herself at him and gave him a sloppy kiss that he slowed down and reminded her of control.

She reached down and he followed her lead.

Needless to say, the shower was needlessly long.

When they finally got out, Kyoko's face was amusingly bright red from embarrassment and Kijima was chuckling. As they went to brush their teeth in front of his sink, he tossed her an unopened case of a toothbrush and she gave him a look.

"You buy extra toothbrushes in case of women staying over?" she couldn't help smirking.

He snorted. "No. I save toothbrushes I get from the dentist. They stack up, you know?"

She giggled at him anyway.

Soon enough, they were in his car and heading to the Dark Moon set. While in the car, Kyoko gained a pensive look on her face that Kijima quickly noticed, though he waited for her to talk to him first.

"Um, Kijima-san…I was wondering, when will the next…lesson be?" she blushed.

Kijima gave a polite cough, just barely refraining from blushing himself.

"So…I was thinking, a serious schedule, I guess, should be on Sundays. Considering that we usually are off on Sunday, so anything new should be then. We work through the week, and I guess I could make you research something through then, in the meantime," Kijima did gain a slight blush then, which relieved Kyoko a bit. But then he still managed a naughty grin next. "Then again, we'll also practice what you learned through the week, so you'll gain experience and skill."

Kyoko buried her face in her hands and Kijima started to laugh.

"Disappointed at the spaced out schedule?" he asked slyly.

"Slightly," she shot back mockingly, though she was honest. "But 'practice' makes up for it."

Honestly, where was she getting all this bravado from? She didn't think she had it in her.

Her hair was ruffled and she ducked her head from his hand, steadfastly staring out her window and ignoring the pout she had on her lips. It wasn't too long that they reached the Dark Moon set, and Kijima parked at his spot. They walked through the parking lot until they reached the building's entrance, and Kijima gestured her to go ahead.

"I'm just going to have a quick smoke," he explained, taking a cig out and holding it up for her to see. "I'll see you inside."

When she was gone, he took out his Visol and clicked the button. Once the flame lit up, he held it to the end of his cigarette. He'd just put away his lighter and had inhaled the nicotine, when Tsuruga Ren casually strolled up to him.

"Tsuruga-kun," he greeted around his cigarette and held up a hand.

Tsuruga gave one of his usual smiles and nodded back to return the greeting. "Kijima-kun. Cutting it a little close, aren't you? It's almost time to start."

"Really? Huh. Damn. I guess I should finish up, hm?" Kijima took one last drag and then dropped the cig to the floor, stepping on it after.

"One moment, Kijima-kun," Tsuruga interrupted him, just as he turned to start to head in.

Curious, Kijima stayed put and waited patiently for the other man to say what he wanted to him.

"I saw you arrive with Mogami-san earlier. May I enquire why?"

Kijima's eyebrows flew up in surprise, though he started feeling a little uneasy.

"I caught her on the way. She was walking, so I asked her if she'd like a ride the rest of the way here," he lied smoothly, keeping a straight face.

He had a feeling that Tsuruga wouldn't like the idea of him spending any kind of time with Kyoko, so it would be best to simplify it as much as possible. Especially with the actual "activities" the two of them were up to, he was sure Tsuruga wouldn't approve. He'd have to keep it the least bit suspicious. Besides that, he didn't think Kyoko would like her LME sempai to know about it, so he'd have to hush it up as much as he could, for her sake.

"I see," Tsuruga murmured. "Kijima-kun, I'd like to ask you to stay away from Mogami-san as much as you can."

Kijima blinked, caught off guard by the sudden and unusual request.

"What? Why?" he couldn't help blurting out.

Tsuruga looked at him seriously, despite still smiling. "I know how you are, Kijima-kun. Mogami-san isn't like most girls. She's…much too innocent and naïve, especially for your kind of advances. I'm just saying it would be best if you were to focus your attentions elsewhere, or not to become too close to Mogami-san, aside from work. Besides, she isn't your type anyways." He gave a nod to Kijima and went into the building.

Kijima scowled, feeling agitated after that encounter. Geez, Tsuruga was taking his "sempai" role a little too seriously. And who was he to tell Kijima to keep away from Kyoko? He didn't own Kyoko or could tell her what to do (and it wasn't like he was her father!), and he couldn't tell Kijima what to do either. He wasn't the boss of Kijima, and Kyoko was free to make her own choices. He also didn't like the unintentional insinuations about his person…

Innocent and naïve! Kyoko wasn't –…Well, on that point, Kijima conceded that Kyoko usually rather was. But she totally had a much bolder, and even naughtier side to her; one he was going to thoroughly and smugly enjoy digging deep and bringing it out of her.

Not his type?

After careful consideration and looking back on time well spent with her, Kijima firmly decided that Mogami Kyoko was totally his type.

He stomped inside, regretting that he did so (but unable to help it due to his mood), and glanced around. Things were still being set up, but almost finished. He spotted Kyoko by Itsumi and Oohara, and caught her attention. In the corner of his eye, he caught Tsuruga looking over and the smile he'd readied for Kyoko instantly died down. Instead, he formed an impersonal smile towards Kyoko and nodded, and then turned nonchalantly towards the refreshment table to get himself a bottle of water.

Even though Tsuruga wouldn't know about it because it was a secret, Kijima was going to utterly enjoy keeping this dirty little secret with Kyoko.

* * *

 

Kyoko saw Kijima come in and tried to smile brightly at him. However, he only smiled impersonally and gave her a nod, confusing her greatly. But then her eyes followed as he walked over to the refreshment table, and caught Ren watching Kijima closely with narrowed eyes. She understood Kijima had to keep up appearances and throw off suspicion, but she couldn't help feeling despondent anyway.

"Ohhh, someone's happy," Momose Itsumi snickered, catching Kyoko's focus again.

Kyoko looked up and realized that Itsumi's amused gaze was directed towards Kijima, who was absentminded and smiling widely to himself.

Oohara Airi giggled. "I guess Kijima-san was successful with his latest conquest. I wonder who she is?"

"Who cares? I bet The God Under the Sheets totally kept her satisfied," Itsumi had just barely refrained from cackling.

"God…Under…Sheets?" Kyoko blinked, staring at the two women.

Both women exchanged glances, until Oohara took the lead with a mischievous grin.

"That's what women who know Kijima-san, or know about Kijima-san, call him. He's got quite the reputation, about how he's, like, really good in bed."

Kyoko sputtered, unable to stop her face was turning immediately into a bright shade of red.

"Kyoko-chan is so cute," Itsumi grinned. "I forget how naïve or uncomfortable she gets about this kind of stuff."

"Conquest is the wrong word though, if we're being serious," Oohara took a sip of her coffee. "It's always consensual anyhow, or the sillier ones throw themselves at him. To be honest, Kijima-san can get a bit picky about who he chooses to spend his time with, when it comes to that kind of thing. On a more respectful note, instead of conquest, I guess latest 'partner' fits better."

"Who cares?" Itsumi grinned. "I want to use 'conquest' right to his face, just to tease him and make him sputter and protest vehemently, before he starts pouting. He'll sulk about it too, that player. Then he'll probably get even by stealing all the glazed donuts, which he knows I like, and it'll all be good."

Kyoko wanted to say things about Kijima too. Like how he was a college student, how he had glasses and looked great with them, that he had a sweet tooth, and confirm a bit of their gossip about his skills in bed…

But Kyoko wasn't supposed to really know Kijima, and therefore all of that, so she wouldn't have a reason to know or tell them any of it.

To be honest, Kijima wouldn't have cared about telling everyone about him and Kyoko's odd 'friends with benefits' relationship, and would have probably been okay with people knowing. It was Kyoko who had insisted, while not vocally but just through a silent understanding, that it would be kept secret.

Really, most would think that Kyoko would be his dirty little secret, but…it was more like the other way around.

Truthfully, Kijima Hidehito was Kyoko's dirty little secret.

Started 12/8/12 – Completed 1/8/13


	4. Lil' Red and the Big Bad Wolf

Okay, he said he was going to cool it and stay away for a bit –or at least in front of others –but this was just ridiculous, and he was already getting sick of it. He was bored, damn it, and he wanted to talk to Kyoko. Really, he was much too impatient to really stay away for long. No one could tell him or Kyoko who they could be friends with, and they were friends.

Without further ado, Kijima casually strolled over to Kyoko, visibly taking out his script and purposely holding it away.

"Kyoko-chan~ I couldn't stay away, my dear," he grinned, winking at her.

She giggled and scooted a bit, while Kijima slipped into place beside her. He leaned on the railings in front of them, using his elbows to support his weight, while deliberately putting his script up and tilting it so it looked like he was sharing it with her.

"So what in the world were you and the other girls gossiping about earlier, Kyoko-chan?" he asked curiously.

He became even more curious when he saw Kyoko turn red and look away from him.

"Oh now you  _have_  to tell me," his grin widened.

"We were talking about you, actually," she said dryly. At his interested look, she reluctantly expounded on that and his grin grew until it was practically splitting his face.

"I  _like_  that –The God Under the Sheets. I'm so proud of myself," Kijima half-joked. "What an ego stroke. Kinda long though. How about God of Sex? Or just Sex God? Those are good. Why don't you go spread those around for me, huh? Maybe it'll catch on."

"Your ego needs to deflate now," she deadpanned and Kijima just started snickering.

"Don't ruin my fun, my cute, little student," Kijima took a pencil and made a mark on his page.

Kyoko blinked, staring at it. "What's that for?"

"Nothing. I'm just doing something, so your favorite reticent sempai doesn't murder me with his mind," Kijima said, startling her. "Tsuruga, ten o'clock."

Kyoko almost looked up to see, but then Kijima tapped the eraser of his pencil against his script.

"I'm serious," Kijima said earnestly. "Tsuruga-kun is totally gunning for me. Don't giggle! His glare of daggers might turn into a glare of death if you look like you're enjoying my presence, more so if it seems outside of work."

Kyoko wanted to laugh and frown all at once. Kijima was being funny, but on the serious side, it sucked that it was because Kijima had to watch himself and that Ren was being kind of mean to Kijima for some reason. Really –Kijima was nice and she liked being around him; Ren didn't have to keep her away or be so obstructive like this.

So they continued to pretend to be talking over their scripts (while really talking about whatever), and made marks and drew stuff on their pages (Kijima had just finished making a rather talented portrait of a random bishoujo). Then it was time to start filming and Kijima and Kyoko were first up. They got into position and waited for the director to gesture for them to start. Immediately, they went into character and glared intensely at each other.

"Naoyuki-san, you are far from being 'honest' and 'happy', aren't you?" Kyoko's 'Mio' practically purred as she stalked after Kijima's 'Naoyuki'. "Na-o-yu-ki~ It means 'honest' and 'happiness', but you're serpent-tongued and have been miserable ever since you took your first step into town."

Kijima made a sneer, replying as Naoyuki in a deceptively cheerful voice. "Mio- _chan_ , I think you're overestimating your dangerousness. Watch your step, chibi, or I'll happily cut you down to size."

'Mio' scowled, leaning in close and invading his personal space. "I'll find you first, and cut off  _every important limb_  you cherish," she stated factually with a dark undertone, just barely grazing his groin with her knee. " _Stay away from Mizuki_. She is  _my_  prey, and no one else is allowed to hurt her. In extension, that makes Tachibana mine as well."

'Naoyuki' wasn't put off, starting to suddenly smirk as he leaned in as equally close, closing the distance between them and leaning down so that his face was a hair's breadth away from 'Mio', who became alarmed before wiping that look off and fixing her scowl back on her unhappy face.

"You're hogging all the fun, Mio-chan.  _I_  need a prey too."

"CUT!"

They straightened and turned back to normal, both of them surprised to see Director Ogata watching them in equal surprise. They focused on him, so they missed the stoic and inwardly stewing and mentally hyperventilating Ren, and the rest of the cast and crew's shocked reaction to the different-than-usually-interpreted scene.

"Alright, n-next scene then! The Hongo parents and Katsuki's argument," Director Ogata hesitantly pushed forward, though he kept glancing back at the two and thinking back to the scene and how it was acted.

Itsumi nudged Oohara. "Hey, remember when I suggested Mio's character get a love interest?"

Oohara glanced at her warily. "You're still on about that?"

"Come on, it'll make Dark Moon stand out, especially against the original. Tsukigomori's Mio never got a love interest; ours will be original and unique because of that," Itsumi insisted. "And it'll help Kyoko grow as an actress –you know how she's always going on about that, wanting different roles to act, right? And it'll get her over that weird thing over relationships she has."

"You're not thinking Naoyuki though, right?" Oohara asked hesitantly.

"Why not? Come on! Did you  _see_  that scene? Especially that last line! It was made for those two. It was supposed to be referring to Katsuki and Mizuki, but the way it came out made it sound like he talking about Mio. I'm totally for NaMio!"

Oohara snorted. "NaMio?"

"Yes! It fits their name, see? And if I have to found it, damn it I will!" Itsumi nodded decisively. "It'll become a phenomenon, I tell you."

"Sure."

The two were interrupted when Kijima and Kyoko came over, and they straightened and pretended they hadn't been having a conversation about the other two's characters…or their characters' love lives…

"What's up, playboy?" Itsumi greeted Kijima. "Kyoko-chan."

"Don't call me that," Kijima pouted. "Kyoko-chan, defend me!"

Kyoko stared at him, before turning to the other females. "Did you see the donuts they had today? They didn't have donut holes this time…"

Kijima pouted even more.

Work, however, continued to resume, with everyone acting smoothly and nothing changing aside from 'Naoyuki' and 'Mio's' oddly more intimate scenes. Ren was on the verge of protest, the urge to go to the director and speak out against…whatever it was that was going on. Truthfully, nothing was obviously wrong or different. It just seemed that for some reason, Naoyuki and Mio's scenes together seemed more charged than usual, and that a different sort of chemistry seemed to be afoot.

When it came to Ren's last chance to approach the director, it was too late. As soon as production for the day wrapped up, Director Ogata, his Assistant Director, and the creative team disappeared into a room. Iizuka Hiroko strangely accompanied them.

However, Ren managed to see his co-star approach Kyoko, raising alarms in his head and making him scowl. Without further prompting, he strode over there.

"So, Kyoko-chan, I'm going to go hang out with a few friends tonight, and go clubbing. Do you want to come with?" he heard Kijima asking her.

"I'm sorry, Kijima-kun. I really doubt Mogami-san is into that kind of thing. I would think she would rather decline."

Kijima and Kyoko turned to face him, hearing his interruption.

"I think that Kyoko-chan should  _make that decision herself_ , don't you think?" Kijima's usually happy smile seemed rather stiff to Kyoko.

"And I think that she would be much too pressured and too polite to decline outright," Ren gave that fake smile she knew and disliked.

" _She's not helpless_ ," Kijima hissed out, and yet he was still smiling.

"She doesn't _understand_ and is too _naïve for that stuff._ She's not the usual girl you hang out with, Kijima-kun," Ren returned firmly, also still smiling.

The two faced off, equally smiling, but yet not really meaning it as they narrowed their eyes at each other. Kyoko could tell they weren't really smiling –she knew Ren's fake smiles and she also knew that Kijima was usually always smiling good naturedly or cheerfully, and it was obvious to see he was upset right now instead.

Abruptly, Kijima turned to her. "So, what about it, Kyoko-chan?"

"I said she –"

"I was talking to  _Kyoko_ ," Kijima snapped in a short tone, dropping the smile. "I was speaking to her. I want to hear from her. So, Kyoko-chan? Do you feel like it? No pressure, of course. If you don't want to, it's fine," he smiled at her gently.

She smiled hesitantly back, though she glanced at Ren worriedly.

"Um, I'll think about it, Kijima-san," she smiled a little more surely, and was rewarded with a bright, happy grin from Kijima.

"Alright, sounds good. How about I'll ask you again after you're done in your dressing room?" Kijima asked, completely ignoring Ren by then.

"Okay," she said, though she risked a glance at Ren.

Kijima nodded at her and then left, and she was left awkwardly by Ren, who was extremely quiet.

"I'll leave you to your dressing room then," Ren fake-smiled, and she almost scowled and called him out on it, only to hold herself back. She didn't want to draw any more of his ire or prompt him to make him say anything else about Kijima or her hanging out with him.

She might realize she was very unhappy with him then.

In her dressing room, she took off her wig first and then her clothes, changing into the ones she'd borrowed from Kijima. Then she was fixing her hair back to normal when there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was Kijima already, she went to the door to let him in.

"Kijima-san, you're earl –" she cut herself off when she realized it wasn't Kijima but was one surprised and awkward Yashiro Yukihito standing there in front of her instead. "Oh! Yashiro-san, I apologize. I thought you were Kijima-san. Come in."

Yashiro gave a smile as awkward as he looked. "Actually, I don't think this will take long, so I won't come in. I'm sorry –I didn't know you were expecting Kijima-san. But, actually, this is about him."

Kyoko's smile grew hesitant. "Yes?"

Yashiro licked his lips. "I don't mean to be interfering, but I wanted to warn you about him. Kijima Hidehito is just one of  _those_  men. He loves women. He has fun toying with them, having all his fun with one and then moving on quickly to another. He's…a  _predator_. He  _preys_  on women, Kyoko-chan. He comes after them, plays nice, and manipulates and pushes them into being with him until he has them right where he wants them –in his bed.

"Kijima-san is very charming, no doubt about that. But he's meant to be, to charm young girls like you. This is…this is like Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Kyoko-chan! You're like sweet, innocent Little Red, and Kijima-san…he's an utter  _Wolf_. And if you're not careful, he'll just… _devour_ you. I just know it."

Kyoko stared aghast at him, feeling confused and uncertain. She hadn't expected this, hadn't expected to hear anything like this from Yashiro of all people.

"Th-thank you, Yashiro-san. I appreciate your concern and I'm very grateful for your worry," was all she could say.

He smiled pityingly at her. "I'm sorry, Kyoko-chan. I just wanted to warn you about the type of man Kijima-san is. He isn't who you think he is. I just don't want you to become like those other girls."

Kyoko gave him a weak smile and after that Yashiro excused himself and left her alone with her chaotic thoughts.

She stood by her door for a long minute, only to be interrupted and startled by the appearance of Kijima himself. He was smiling as usual, but something seemed off.

"So – _has Little Red Riding Hood become afraid of going with the Wolf_?"

Kyoko's readied smile faltered and she flinched back, watching Kijima with wide eyes. He was still smiling his off-smile, staring at her steadily.

_Did he hear?_

Kijima's smile gentled, if looking slightly bitter, though his eyes revealed nothing about what he was thinking or feeling. They were darkened from their usual green into the stormy gray she knew came with intense emotion.

"It's okay, Kyoko-chan. I know. I understand. You don't have to come tonight. And if you feel uncomfortable with me now, I understand and won't hold it against you. It's your choice. It's always your choice. And if you're wary about being around me, it's okay," Kijima said softly, and his smile twisted into some kind of hybrid between his gentle but bitter smile and his off-smile.

But then he gave a helpless shrug and regretful grin.

"If you change your mind, you have my number, you know? Bye, Kyoko-chan."

He turned away from her after that, shoving his hands into his pockets as he started to walk away. Her lips trembled and she wanted to speak out, but she felt frozen still. She heard him humming to himself before he began to quietly sing.

"Hey there Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are looking good. You're everything a big bad wolf could want~"

Her breath choked in her throat and she took a stumbled step forward.

"W-wait, Kijima-san!" but he was already long gone by then.

Her shoulders slumped and she stared at the ground, quite alone in her part of the building.

Outside the Dark Moon set, Kijima leaned against the building and looked up at the darkening sky in exhaustion, a weary look on his face.

"I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on, until I'm sure that you've been shown that I can be trusted walking with you alone~"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing himself off the building before starting to walk dejectedly to his car.

Started 1/24/13 – Completed 1/25/13


	5. In the Company of Wolves

" _You're hogging all the fun, Mio-chan._ _ **I**_ _need a prey too."_

Director Ogata rewound it again from the beginning, biting his lip. It was the fourth time he'd done so.

"Sir?"

"Itsumi-san brought up the idea of Mio's love interest some time ago, did she not?" he asked softly to his team.

They all traded hesitant looks with each other, while Iizuka tilted her head and watched with a neutral face.

"We all came here to discuss the idea," Director Ogata said quickly. "That's why we all rushed here, yes? And I specifically called in Iizuka-san to ask about how she felt about the idea and for her permission to go on with that direction, as the previous Mio. Kyoko-san can be informed if we've made a positive decision, but for now there is no need to worry her."

Indeed, as soon as the day finished for the Dark Moon crew, Director Ogata and his team had given each other looks and immediately went straight into this room (bringing along Iizuka with them). The director hadn't immediately started the meeting, instead choosing to watch that particular scene again and again with fixation.

"The idea has merit…but Iizuka-san, how would you feel if we went with it?" Director Ogata asked her.

She raised an eyebrow slightly and smirked. "It does have merit. Back then, I'd always wondered about a possible subplot for her and a love interest."

"But Naoyuki?" the Assistant Director asked hesitantly, knowing that was where they were all heading.

Iizuka answered before Director Ogata could start to. "Initially, back then, if anything would have happened, I would have thought of Katsuki, though one-sided for Mio. However…have you  _seen_ that scene?" she grinned suddenly.

The group broke out into murmurs and grins at each other, before quieting down and looking to Director Ogata, who had cleared his throat to grab their attention.

"Then it's settled. We'll be working on a Naoyuki and Mio subplot, so let's work hard, everyone!"

Everyone expressed their enthusiastic agreement, before starting to sketch out scenes and interweaving them with the current story. Meanwhile, Kyoko had long left the Dark Moon set as Director Ogata and the creative team had begun to work hard. After Kijima had left, she'd hurried in her dressing room to look more appropriate in going outside and had rushed out to see if Kijima was still there. However, with lingering regret and quiet resignation of the knowledge he was probably already gone, she had looked around the emptying parking lot and knew that her thought had been right.

Now she'd entered the Darumaya when the dinner rush was just starting, feeling dejected and depressed. The couple that owned the restaurant noted her immediately, looking at each other in worry. After awhile, with a lull in customers and everyone currently eating, the couple let the other workers take charge for a moment, while they went to see to Kyoko.

They found her curled in a ball on her futon in depression.

"Kyoko-chan, what's wrong?"

Kyoko turned miserably to the kind lady. She blurted out what had happened and then went back to being silent. The couple traded looks.

"We don't know Kijima-san as well as you do, but from what we've seen he seems to be a very nice man," Morishita Yoshino, Okami of the Darumaya, spoke gently. "And it is up to you on how you view Kijima-san and whether or not you want to be near him, not us and certainly not this Yashiro-san."

"You're a grown girl and you can make your own decisions," Morishita Fugaku, the Taisho counterpart to the restaurant, said gruffly. "And you are always so serious and work too hard. Though I like that side of you, you should also act your age."

"Have fun every once and awhile, Kyoko-chan," Yoshino encouraged her. "You should go ahead and go with Kijima-san, have fun in that club."

"You…you don't mind? You don't think I'd be acting irresponsible or should you really think I should be going to things like that?" she asked hesitantly.

Yoshino laughed lightly. "Dear, we're not your parents. Though of course we would want you to be safe and careful, and be responsible with yourself, we also want you to enjoy your youth. Mind you, Fugaku and I did some wild things back in our day," she winked at Kyoko, who giggled.

Fugaku stayed silent, though there was a tinge of red on his cheeks.

"Okay then," Kyoko smiled, feeling lighter. "I'll go call him. I really think I'd like to go."

The couple gave her a small smile and left her to it, and she hurriedly called Kijima with the hopes that he'd answer quickly and wasn't gone already.

"Hello?"

"Kijima-san! Um, please don't hang up!" she said quickly.

He was quiet on the other end, worrying her, until he spoke up finally.

"Eh? Kyoko-chan, why'd you call?" he asked, sounding normal.

She really didn't think it was the case.

"You said to call you if I changed my mind. I changed my mind. I want to come with you," she rushed out, before biting her lip anxiously.

He was silent again, but when he next spoke he was much more enthusiastic and sounding like his usual self.

"That's great, Kyoko-chan! I'm really happy. I'll come pick you up really quickly, so I'll see you soon. You don't have to dress up," he said eagerly. "See you in a bit!"

"Alright, bye," Kyoko said before hanging up.

Then she sighed and waited.

Rewound to when Kijima just left the parking lot, for awhile he just drove aimlessly before driving over to an old friend's, who welcomed him but also raised an eyebrow at his appearance.

"Now if that isn't the look of a kicked puppy," Yuuta Mikoto said wryly, looking at Kijima's disheveled look and his downhearted face. "Weren't you going to a club tonight? I already said no –Christian is working tonight, so he can't make it either."

"No, no, I just needed to head over to a friend's," he said gruffly. "Can I hang for a bit? Besides, I might not even feel like going anymore."

Mikoto blinked and then looked at him worriedly, changing gears.

"Okay, now there's something  _definitely_  wrong. Get in here," she pulled him into her workplace.

The beauty salon was near empty since it was almost closing time, so Mikoto took him straight to her office, where he immediately located her couch and sprawled all across it.

"Okay, who was she and how'd she dump you?"

Kijima glared at her. "I wasn't dumped."

"Ah, but you didn't deny it was a girl," she latched onto.

Kijima looked uncomfortable, but didn't say anything.

"Okay, spill," she ordered.

After being reticent for a moment longer, Kijima relented and began speaking, telling her all about what happened. Mikoto was sympathetic, but at the same time…She couldn't help laughing.

Kijima stared at her dumbfounded.

"Well, you can't deny you have a reputation," she snickered. "It's just, idiots like this Yashiro don't seem to really understand and don't really know you, so things get mixed up. Hunt after women…Hehehe, Hidehito, you are as far from being a predator as my month old baby. Yeah, you  _do_  love women –but it's not like you're objectifying us. You love us as people; it's just how it is. You just get along with women much more than men. Part of that is because you love women and therefore know how to get along with us more, and the other part is that one reason why you don't get along as much with men is because of how much you get along with women in the first place –which leads guys to be jealous pricks and push you away, hence you being around and getting along with women more. It's like one huge redundant circle. Guys who think like that about you are just jealous, so don't even bother with that, idiot.

"And don't get me started on you toying with women," she snorted. "That's as ridiculous as Santa Claus coming on Easter."

Kijima twitched. "Geez, marry an American and come up with all these weird phrases…"

She ignored him and continued.

"I mean, it really is stupid. You're straight up with the women you approach. You spend some time with someone, see if you like them in that way, tell them you like 'em and see how it'll be. You don't like them like that, you either become friends with them or good acquaintances. You do and they say no, you become friends. They say yes, you still become friends and have a great time with them also. You move on quickly because it's never serious and it's all casual, and you make that clear. You don't play around with girls' hearts. Play around with them, sure. But you're a sappy, lovesick romantic.

"Manipulating women is going too far –it's all in mutual fun; you know how to treat a girl and how to make them happy or sweet them up, but you never, ever take a choice away from a girl, and you always make sure it's consensual. Yeah, you're charming…but that's  _just who you are_."

Kijima smiled a little at that and looked slightly gratefully at her, but he still looked a little miserable so she sighed. She came over and snatched his phone, milling through it and rolling her eyes after.

"If they ever need proof of your pathetic social life, this is all the proof they'd need," she said sarcastically, holding up his phone. " _At least_  90% of your contacts are females. All good friends. Your top ten? Are women you've gone out with and may or may have messed around with. The top five of that are the women you see more often and may or may not feel like getting together with. Only  _five_  of your ridiculous number of women in your phone –really,  _102_  girls, Hidehito! –are the ones you  _occasionally_  sleep with. Five. And of those five, you can strike two of them off, because you set me up with Christian and we're happily married, and Nodoka is engaged to that guy you found somewhere or other."

"I'm a good matchmaker, eh?" he pouted. "And that would be proof that I'm such a terrible playboy and wolf, wouldn't it?"

"Three women, Hidehito. And  _you_  befriend your 'conquests,'" she snorted again and proceeded to nonchalantly pelt him with the cherries she had in her bowl, giving him a look. "Honestly. In hindsight, you kinda make a pathetic playboy."

"Thank you for your input," he deadpanned. "It's much appreciated. If only Kyoko could see it from your perspective."

She paused in her movements, giving him a curious look. "You…really like this girl, don't you? Hidehito."

"Of course I do. She's great. She's pretty, adorable, and lively. Why wouldn't I like her?" he watched her strangely.

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "No, Hidehito. I mean, you  _like_  this girl. Like ' _like_  like.'"

He stared at her. "No…wait. I think you're just…over thinking and overanalyzing everything."

Mikoto shook her head adamantly. "No~o. You  _like_  this girl. In fact, I'm pretty sure you're in love with her."

Kijima began to look panicked, looking at her as if she was crazy. "What? Wait, wait, wait. Why all of a sudden are you talking about love? Why don't we go back to 'like'?!"

Mikoto chucked an unopened can of Pepsi at him, before she gentled and she looked at him softly.

"Hidehito, I've never seen you in a funk over some girl like this before," she held up his phone again. "Actually, I'm also pretty sure you put her at the top of your list too."

Mikoto slipped his phone open and showed his wallpaper, and he flushed red at seeing the picture of him and Kyoko goofing off and taking the picture with his phone cam.

"Your wallpaper, Hidehito. It's your  _wallpaper_. She's cute, by the way."

He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I just…"

Kijima sat up and frowned at the floor, before he looked up at her with tired eyes.

"Look, I knew she was trouble from the moment I walked onto the set and saw her," he quietly admitted, surprising her. "My first day on set, I walked on and looked around to see everyone. You know me, I noted the women first. And then I noted that Oohara was most probably the most my type, physically, with Momose a close second. But then…I don't know. I saw Kyoko. And she was pretty, but not my type. She was talking to the director and was being expressive and she was just so  _adorable_. I couldn't help smiling a bit. I was just…drawn to her."

Mikoto frowned herself. "Then I'm surprised it took you so long to approach her. This thing with her is recent, right? But you started Dark Moon somewhat before."

"I told you I knew she was trouble, right?" he asked wryly. "Aside from just this instinctive feeling being with her would be trouble –and proven I'm right with that now –there's everything else. She hung around Tsuruga like a cute, obedient puppy, and he hovered over her overbearingly. No one could really be around her, and especially when Tsuruga was around, which was almost always anyways. I just shrugged to myself and decided it wasn't worth it, and forgot all about my interest in her. Well, until recently."

Mikoto looked at him and narrowed her eyes in thought.

"Sounds like he's jealous."

Kijima shrugged. "I figure he is. On the ride over here, I thought about it and I'm pretty sure Tsuruga likes her. The confrontation earlier certainly doesn't disprove."

"Whatever," she waved a hand dismissively. "He's not who I'm bothering with right now. You are. You are most definitely in love with her."

"Isn't it too soon? I mean, we just got together. That's kind of fast and too early to be claiming such things, right?" he said defensively.

Mikoto sniffed irritably. "This coming from the man who's a total romantic sap, and loves claiming to believe in love in first sight. That's just…hypocritical, Hidehito. Besides, unlike the others, you spend an inordinate time with her. The sex –"

"We haven't had sex," he denied as he interrupted her.

She huffed. "Shut up. The sex, or  _whatever_!" she changed it when he opened his mouth again. He closed it. "is consistent, when it's supposed to be casual –and you don't do that with your casual partners. Honestly, you're kinda picky about women and spending time with whichever one, and you never stay with one all the time. Yet, she makes the exception to that, and also because you actually hang around her outside of being intimate. Of course, there are other women you do that with, but I'm sure she's the only one you see the most and be around more."

He didn't comment on how Kyoko and he hadn't technically been together regularly, as they'd just started, but that he had actually agreed to such a thing would probably make his argument moot in Mikoto's eyes, so he didn't bother bringing it up. And he  _did_  hang around her a lot…

"Your phone is totally guilty evidence. Your moodiness right now, over her possible rejection and the whole thing that happened earlier, is telling. Face it, idiot. You're a complete goner over this girl."

She also didn't say that she thought that if he hadn't fast-tracked into being in love with her from the moment he started this whole stupid sex lessons thing with the girl, she had a feeling he'd been in love with this Mogami Kyoko from the moment he saw her that day on set.

He opened his mouth to deny it again when his phone rang and they both stared at his cell in Mikoto's hand. Then they saw the name and Mikoto threw it over at Kijima in a panic. He answered it and stood up from the couch, walking away from Mikoto and keeping his back to her as he talked to Kyoko.

Mikoto listened to his side of the conversation, hearing his tone and his words and raising her eyebrows. Not in love with Kyoko, her ass…

He hung up and looked at her guiltily.

"Okay, yeah. I'm probably already…without a doubt, in love with her," he reluctantly confessed. "But I'm also sure she doesn't want anything to do with love. I have more than enough proof, from herself."

"So what are you going to do?" she didn't give up.

"I'm not afraid of pursuing her, if that's what you mean," he said sardonically. "I'm not going to hide from it or her, like Tsuruga. I even have an edge with these 'stupid sex lessons,'" he quoted her from earlier, when he first told her about it. "And I'm a close friend, who she hangs out with a lot. I just won't say those three words…not until she's ready and she's gotten over whatever she's hung up over that's gotten her against love. That doesn't mean I can't be affectionate and be romantic or express how I feel in other ways, without being outright. I just have to be cautious enough to not scare her off, but show her subtly that I do like her."

"And win her over at the same time, huh?" she smirked.

"That's the plan," he shrugged. "I'm hoping it'll be enough for now."

"Soo…are you going to pick her up or what?" she asked slyly.

"Going, going," he mock-saluted her.

"Bring her here!" she hollered at his retreating back. "I'll fix her up for the night!"

Kijima drove over quickly to the Darumaya, having long passed memorized the address and the quickest route to the restaurant. He went through the restaurant and spotted the Okami and Taisho of the restaurant, who waved him over and gave him genial welcomes, before he was directed towards where he could find Kyoko. He braced himself at her door, taking a deep breath, before he knocked and called out to her.

"Kyoko-chan?"

The door opened immediately, and she was there, looking wide-eyed up at him.

"K-Kijima-san," she nervously greeted.

He gave her a warm smile, and was taken aback when she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly. Then she backed away awkwardly, before straightening herself and looking solemnly at him, reaching forward and taking his hand tentatively.

"I suppose then, I wouldn't mind not being saved by the Huntsman," she spoke seriously.

He curled his hand around hers. She swallowed anxiously before giving him a very small smile, surprising him further when she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"I think I choose to be in the company of wolves."

Started 2/3/13 – Completed 4/2/13


	6. Be a Little Inappropriate

He was not in love.

He was not.

But he could at least admit that his heart practically melted when Kyoko said that to him.

Maybe Mikoto was right, and who knows. But he felt uncomfortable admitting it to himself, especially with one hundred percent surety, so he couldn't just come out and say he was in love aloud. The least he was willing to completely confess to himself, much less to anyone, was that he was slipping. He hadn't fallen just yet, but he was slipping.

It was what he was much more comfortable admitting to. Deep down inside, he knew he was already far too gone…but it was unnerving and frightening to go that far. And well, it would probably be horrifying and despicable to Kyoko, if what his suspicions regarding her opinion about love were true.

He had a lot of work to do.

He decided to get back on schedule, and ponder about his feelings later on. He just gave her a soft smile in response to her words, and a finger poke to her forehead that had her blinking before pouting.

"You're reading  _The Company of Wolves_  in school right now, aren't you?"

Her face colored slightly and she huffed, turning away from him, but he could see her face had darkened even more. It was all so adorable…

"So what if I am?" he heard her mutter.

He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Come on. Let's get going."

Without preamble, they left the restaurant after respectfully saying their goodbyes. After making it to Kijima's car, he drove them over to Mikoto's salon, who promptly ambushed them upon arriving.

"Ohh, she's even much more adorable in person, Hidehito!" she cooed as she got her hands on Kyoko, who looked bewildered. "She's pretty, but I'll make her club-presentable! Let me work my magic and you go flounder elsewhere," she dismissed him, focusing all her attention on Kyoko straight after.

Kijima rolled his eyes and gave an apologetic shrug towards Kyoko as he took out a cigarette and silently told her he was going to smoke somewhere in the meantime. Kyoko was still in the midst of processing what the heck was going on.

"Light her on fire," he grinned at Mikoto, winking meaningfully at the beautician, before trotting off.

Then she was being dragged off somewhere, where Mikoto had her stripped down, and pulled a cover around her. Then she was being set into a chair and tilted back, where she was having her hair pulled into a sink and washed.

"I'm going to definitely light you on fire, my pretty," Mikoto hummed happily. And before long, though Kyoko stayed quiet the entire time, Mikoto started to color her hair. "Just your tips," she murmured. "With temporary dye."

"You're dyeing my hair?" Kyoko spoke up tentatively.

"Just your tips," Mikoto repeated, reassuring her. "And the dye is temporary. Should wash off within a few days."

"…O…kay…"

And when her hair had foil on it, she was sat up and Mikoto immediately began to fix her face up with makeup. Then the older lady was pulling her from the chair, and once she was standing up, Mikoto playfully ripped off her cover and Kyoko automatically covered herself in embarrassment, turning bright red since she was only in her underwear. Mikoto grabbed a dress from the clothing rack from behind her, and Kyoko eyed the red dress warily.

"Perfect," Mikoto purred. "And I'm betting it's just your size."

And the slinky one-piece fit to Kyoko's form perfectly, as Mikoto guessed, though Kyoko was very conscious about the way it clung to her and showed off her body. The hemline hung a little above mid-thigh, making Kyoko feel even more odd in the dress and wanting to reach down and cover her exposed legs…if it weren't for the square neckline paired with the micro-straps that bared her shoulders and the top of her breasts (never mind that the dress clung so well that her breasts were pushing out through the fabric anyway, regardless of cleavage).

"Oh, I'm good," Mikoto said smugly, before Kyoko was having her nails done as well.

While those were drying, Mikoto was taking the foil off of her hair and began spraying it, and fluffing it up while using a hairdryer on it. As a final check, her nails were blow dried as well, before Mikoto was handing her a pair of heels to put on. Kyoko gaped at it, shaking her head. They looked like a deathtrap, with the high-inched heels.

But Mikoto gave her a stern look that she cringed at, and began putting on the bright red velvet heels onto her feet. Her toenails were equally as bright red as the shoes, showing in the openness of the high heels. Making sure the closed-cupped back of the heel was snug against the back of her foot, she adjusted the rhinestone-covered straps securely and gratefully noted the velvet fabric felt nice against her skin at least.

And then, before Kyoko could notice or flinch away, Mikoto clapped her hands and suddenly glitter was sprung onto Kyoko, who started coughing and blinking away glitter from her eyes. She shook herself like a dog, and more glitter fell off of her. When she looked over, she saw Mikoto had some kind of powder puff held in both of her hands, and grinning like a lunatic.

"There. A nice sheen of glitter to finish you off."

"Are you guys done yet?" Kijima asked, sounding exasperated.

He rounded the corner and stopped short, staring. Kyoko blushed and thought that maybe she didn't mind so much the shortness of her mini-dress or that it was so clingy, especially as Kijima's eyes darkened wonderfully at her. It's been awhile, in her mind, since he'd done so towards her.

For him, he felt like he'd just been suckerpunched, as he wondered in amazement about the fire goddess in front of him. The tips of her hair were dyed red, and from her dress to her shoes –nothing but the bright color of red. Even her nails and her makeup, from eye shadow to kissable, plump lips, were a bright, fiery red. The light sheen of gold glitter on her made the effect of embers, and it really enhanced the look of a goddess of fire for Kyoko.

He eyed the small slit at the bottom of her dress with a smirk, and gave a wolf whistle.

"Sheesh, Mikoto. When I said 'light her on fire,' I didn't know you were literally going to go for it," Kijima grinned, before offering his arm to Kyoko.

"Wait! Pictures!" Mikoto hollered, taking her phone out.

"Mine too," Kijima tossed his phone, and Kyoko hesitated before shyly taking hers out. "Um, mine too please."

Mikoto gleefully took a lot of pictures with the phones, before Kijima exasperatedly snatched their phones away and led Kyoko to his car. Kyoko let out a breath and blinked a few times.

"Exhausting to go through?"

"Yes."

Kijima laughed at her blunt answer, reaching and giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's all good. Don't worry about it. Just relax and rest in the car, before we're there."

Kyoko nodded in relief, and leaned back against the car, closing her eyes.

"Kijima-san…I don't think I can do this," she admitted. "I really am not the clubbing type, and I think I'll just be clumsy and nervous the entire time and probably embarrass you –"

"Silly girl," he cut her off. "I just want to have a good time with you. Just enjoy yourself. Don't look to anyone else, but me."

Her red face returned and he would have teased her for it, had she not still looked worried.

"How about this? Mio is really haughty, isn't she? Why don't you think of Mio, but try to only just draw that part of her out. Think of this as a lesson on acting," he explained. "Being able to only draw certain parts of a character, without the full personality. Just looking for certain traits."

Kyoko looked at him thoughtfully, but gave a small smile.

"Yeah, I think I can try that."

And so, just outside the club, the line of people waiting to get in was treated to the sight of a handsome man escorting a fire goddess, with long legs walking with a slight strut, half-lidded eyes shadowed red, and a playful smirk on her crimson lips.

They walked passed everyone confidently, and was waved into the club without further incident.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Kijima murmured to her.

Her eyes lazily looked at him from the side, her smirk widening just the slightest.

"Not at all."

They found a table, because as much as Kyoko seemed confident and comfortable there, Kijima could tell that she was also still kind of nervous.

"You don't want to dance just yet, right?" Kijima leaned over to speak into her ear.

With the loud music, she was grateful he did. "Yeah…just hold on for a bit."

"Alright, how about a drink?"

Curious, wondering if Kijima really was going to get her something alcoholic, she nodded and waited as he went over to the bar closest to them and came back with two prettily shaped glasses.

"Sex on the Beach for me," he declared and slid the smaller glass towards her. "And an Apple Jolly Rancher for you."

She tasted it and was surprised at how sweet it was, and that she could barely taste the alcohol.

"One glass only, since you're underage," he staged whispered to her, and she giggled.

"Okay, okay! I like this…"

They chatted together a bit, before he cajoled her into dancing with him. Shyly, she went with him to the dance floor on the level they were on, and after a few unsure moves, she started to get into it more and stopped over thinking and being self-conscious. To make sure, he danced a little conservatively with her, before he became a bit more daring.

She dipped backwards lowly, head tossed back and her body only supported by Kijima's hand against the middle of her back and his other hand holding one of hers stretched out to their side.

That song ended and another began, and Kijima smoothly moved them into a whirl, and her hair flew from side to side, with her heart beating loud and fast and adrenaline riding high. She was grinning by then, and was thoroughly in a playful mood, excited and having a good time.

_"Be a little inappropriate~"_

Kijima smirked and twirled her so that he was facing her back, and pulled her close, embracing her as he shifted their hips and legs to the beat of the song and their torsos bopped in rhythm. By chorus, he pulled away and grabbed both of her hands, and they stepped in towards each other and then back, doing so several times.

The song ended and everyone screamed and clapped, before the DJ started another song. Before Kijima and Kyoko could start dancing again, Kijima was greeted by someone Kyoko didn't recognize.

"Yo! Hidehito! You're here, man. Who's this lovely lady?" a handsome brunet headed their way, dancing slightly through the throng. Behind him, two beautiful ladies followed, with another good-looking dark-haired man trailing behind lazily.

"Satoshi! Ryuka, Mimi, and Dan. You guys are all here. Guys, this is Kyoko. Kyoko-chan, these are some friends that I picked up from somewhere."

"Jerk!" Satoshi, the brunet, huffed, grabbing Kijima and putting him in a headlock. "Don't listen to him, my pretty Kyoko-chan~ It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ryuka and Mimi immediately surrounded Kyoko from either side, latching onto an arm.

"Hidehito, say she's not yours," Ryuka cooed.

"So we can steal her away and keep her all to ourselves," Mimi continued, rubbing her cheek against Kyoko's affectionately.

Kijima growled and gently pulled Kyoko away, glaring playfully at the others.

"She's mine," he said possessively, clutching her closer to his side.

Her face blazed.

"Ohhh, how cute. Hidehito's laying claim. Alright, alright –be that way," Dan snickered. He bowed to Kyoko. "My pleasure, milady."

"Can we join you guys?" Mimi interrupted, and Kijima looked to Kyoko inquisitively, who nodded eagerly. She wanted to get to know Kijima more, and the people he knew and just be more open and sociable.

Truth was, she's never really been sociable and she really just wanted to have fun and get along with everyone like a normal person.

Since Kijima, it was like her whole life had exploded into being.

It was mindboggling, but so much fun as they all danced in this odd mixture, where she was switching partners every second. One moment she was dancing with Kijima, before she was suddenly in the arms of Mimi. And then she was with Ryuka and then Dan and it kept going on and on. Twirls and whirls and hands everywhere –she hooked a leg daringly around Dan, who pulled her and moved her into a low sweep, before Mimi took her and she was persuaded into some close bodied slight grinding, that though she blushed at, she went along with.

And then she was back in Kijima's arms, who lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist and whirled her around, before setting her down and having her do a triple twirl and then dipping her.

When the song ended, the group huddled together and whooped and hollered, clapping enthusiastically. Taking a break, they sat down at Kijima and Kyoko's table and talked, getting to know each other and sharing stories. They all had a drink, though Kijima ordered her a water, which she pouted at. He smirked at her, and she exaggerated her sigh. At least she got to taste and take sips out of everyone's drinks.

"Oh yeah, Hidehito's hitting 'em up young!" Satoshi teased. "Total jailbait," he winked at Kyoko.

Kijima reached over and swatted at Satoshi's head, who ducked away with a grin.

"But I'm worth going to jail for," Kyoko grinned cheekily.

The others stared at her, Kijima especially, before they all burst into rowdy cheer and hollered in good fun, the guys jumping up and slightly roughhousing in their seats, while the girls giggled and rolled their eyes together at the guys.

Then a song came on and Dan jumped up.

"Oh, oh! We have to dance to this! Come on!" he grabbed Kyoko and Mimi's hands, and rushed to the dance floor, and everyone else followed after in amusement.

Kyoko instinctively slid into Kijima's arms and then they swayed sassily together, before the tempo started up and the whole group of them began jumping up and down to the song, singing loudly and some of them out of tune (actually more like shouting) to the lyrics.

"Hey, I heard you were a wild one," Kyoko stepped towards Kijima, murmuring in his ears, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed in close. "Ooh oh. If I took you home and be your home run~"

Kijima brushed his lips against her temple. " _Would_  you let me take you home?"

"Show me how you'll do," she sung the next verse in answer, eyes glittering mischievously as she smiled playfully. "I wanna shut down the club with you. Hey, I heard you like the wild ones~"

She nipped at his ear before she danced away, though he caught her and brought her back, pulling her in close.

"I am the wild one, break me in. Saddle me up and let's begin. I am a wild one, tame me now. Runnin' with wolves and soon I'm on the prowl," she sung again, feeling in the mood and giddy and just plain old happy.

Kijima laughed and began singing the next part, her eyes widening in surprise as she heard him singing for the second time.

"Show you another side of me, a side you would never thought you'd see," he smiled softly at her. "Turn up that body, dominatrix, till you had enough. I hear you like the wild stuff."

Oh, she was definitely feeling wild that night.

Without further ado, Kyoko grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down, roughly kissing him.

When the song drew to a close, they finally pulled away, breathing heavily as they stared at each other with darkened eyes.

"Runnin' with wolves and soon I'm on the prowl…" she murmured, trailing off as the song ended.

"I think…we should be going home," Kijima said with a meaningful glance.

Kyoko thoroughly agreed.

They said goodbyes to the others, with knowing glances from the women and a smirk from Dan, and a wink from Satoshi towards them (no doubt having witnessed that make out probably). Kijima had her wait near the front entrance, as he went out to go get the car and bring it to the front of the club, so she didn't have to walk all that way in the cold.

She wasn't bothered at first, though she soon noticed that there was a group of people with cameras hovering around the entrance, not going further into the club and staring at her. She gave them a small, confused smile.

Suddenly, they were converging on her and asking her tons of questions.

"W-wait, hold on. I can't hear you all!"

Surprisingly, they quieted down and one of them started first. And politely, having a good time still, Kyoko answered their questions and chatted good-naturedly with them, and even asking them questions in turn. Hey! They were asking her questions, she should be able to ask questions as well, right?

"Oh, that's a lovely watch! May I ask where you got it?" she asked one of them.

And then after, she noticed one of them had a stain on their sleeve.

"Sir, let me help you with that," she pointed to it, and making the man blink and stare at her oddly as she offered to get it removed.

He took off his jacket and she took out her Tide pen. She began rubbing it furiously against the stain, still answering questions and talking animatedly with them. It was strange, though, that a lot of their questions related to Kijima…

She saw Kijima come in, and she cheerfully waved him over, just as she finished with the stain.

"Over here, Kijima-san!"

For some reason, he looked alarmed as he caught sight of her and he hurried over, taking her gently away from them with a glare at the group. Though she didn't understand why, he seemed like he wanted to get her as far away from the others as possible.

Kijima did not want her anywhere near or have her spend any more time with his paparazzi harassers.

The paparazzi harassers? For once, they felt like jerks about the whole affair and hesitant about writing anything about it or anything to do with Kijima and this gorgeous girl that may or may not be that oppositely made up Mio from Dark Moon.

Started 4/15/13 – Completed 4/15/13


	7. Oral Talk

They stumbled into Kijima's apartment, fumbling with clothes. Kyoko couldn't help the giggle that escaped, when Kijima lightly brushed his hands down her sides. But then those very same hands unzipped her dress and caressed the bare skin revealed behind her, before the dress was slipped off of her and allowed to just fall to the ground.

Her underwear was left, and the fact that was the only layer left made her inwardly pout.

She swatted his hands away and resolved to remove more of his clothing before he would be allowed to touch any part of her. It was only fair, after all.

He got the message and pulled back with a grin, helping her to remove some of his clothing to move it along. He captured her lips again and she felt him cup her arse, squeezing tightly before hefting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist.

Without further ado, he carried her all the way to his room, slamming the door shut behind him with his foot, and refraining from detaching himself in any way from Kyoko.

Morning dawned rather quickly, in her opinion, and she grumbled as the light filtered into the room.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Kijima yawned, and she felt him pull her closer, spooning around her as he buried his face into her neck and tried to steal a few more precious moments of sleep.

"Morning," she mumbled. "We have work. We should…get up."

But she didn't feel like getting up either.

Kijima mumbled something she couldn't understand, before he was reluctantly sitting up and running a hand through his disheveled hair. She tried not to think about how she'd helped it become that way, with all the yanking and brushing her fingers through soft, silky strands.

She didn't think she was so successful, if the lazy grin he directed at her said anything. She was sure she'd become as red as a tomato during her thoughts.

" _Someone's_  become such a pervert," he teased.

"I think you need to be quiet."

He laughed at her until she reminded him that she was the one cooking their breakfast that morning, in which he promptly shut up after that.

During breakfast, Kijima suddenly looked nervous and she couldn't fathom why. That is, until he started talking and brought up their next "lesson."

"So, I suppose, I should remind you of it before it gets too close to the time. You know…so you can research it a bit, get comfortable with the idea, and whatever," Kijima coughed awkwardly, face flushing slightly. "Try to get the basic idea, and prepare yourself before anything happens."

It would seem that Kyoko would have to actually look up anything about oral intercourse, or as Kijima informed, more commonly referred to as a "blowjob."

It was hilariously mortifying.

It wasn't too long until they'd finished up breakfast and he was driving them to work. They chatted a bit in the car, talking about the upcoming scenes they had to film, and time passed by rather quickly with that. They were in the parking lot of the set in no time, and the two of them got out and walked together to the building, still talking animatedly on certain scenes and what they could possibly try doing with them.

"You should see other projects you'd want to do, outside of what your agency hands you," Kijima suggested a little after, and Kyoko perked up in interest.

"Could I really?"

"Of course," Kijima nodded. "Contracts and stuff have to be sorted through LME for you, but you can go looking for projects yourself. You just have to bring in your portfolio with your resumé, and audition."

"Resumé? Portfolio?" she asked baffled. "I don't know what goes in a portfolio and I've never done a resumé before," she looked dismayed.

Kijima reached out and tugged at her hair to distract her. "Hey, hey! It's alright," he soothed. "For a portfolio, you usually just include a headshot," at her wide-eyed look, he elaborated. "A headshot is an 8x10 photo of your face, and it has to be current. So if you change your looks, it changes as well. It's supposed to be a more thorough showing of your talent and job history, while the resumé is just a one or two page summary.

"You'd also put in more stuff to showcase any skills you have, some more photos, like maybe from different angles and also some different styles, and also a biography. I know Talent Portfolios usually include videos too," he mused aloud, and she idly wondered if Kijima was actually aware that she was just a talent and not an actual actress just yet.

"We'll have to set up an electronic portfolio for you online," he hmmed. "Don't worry, I'll help you."

Kyoko looked at him gratefully and gave a huge smile, and he echoed it with a fond one, ruffling her hair.

She also learned that Sawara could inform her of casting calls for roles that he might think were perfect for her, while she could go to open call castings, where just anyone could come in from off the street and audition, whether or not they had an agent.

There was a callback, an actual callback that wasn't like how she participated in the audition for that commercial. After an audition, typically she'd have to wait for them to call her back to see if they liked her or not after her first audition to see her again, and then get invited to audition for the same part once more, this time with the director and producer present.

Kijima went over a few more terms and she listened attentively, before they were interrupted by a fuming Itsumi, trailed by a frowning Oohara.

"What's your problem?" Kijima smirked lightly, casually leaning against the table.

Itsumi gave him a withering glare, after brightly smiling and greeting Kyoko.

"You won't  _believe_  the nerve of some assholes! I actually had to deal with a  _casting couch_  last night! I'm so pissed about it!" Itsumi angrily made some erratic hand gestures in the air, before Oohara sighed and patted her head in sympathy. "You know what? I'm going to gorge on some glazed donuts to cheer me up."

She stomped away from them towards the snacks table, and Oohara followed after an apologetic look and a shrug from her.

"What's a casting couch?" Kyoko asked immediately after, never hearing of it.

Kijima flinched and scowled himself. "It's not just in the entertainment business, but usually here it's when an actress or actor is asked to do some kind of sexual activity with some higher up or some actor or actress with higher connections, in order to get a role or some job. Usually, a literal couch is involved," he said sardonically.

Kyoko cringed. "I didn't know that kind of stuff actually happens."

Kijima made a noncommittal noise, and she hesitantly looked at him.

"Um, did you…" she trailed off and didn't finish, thinking that maybe it was too personal and it wasn't any of her business.

"Did I ever get any casting couch auditions?" Kijima guessed her thoughts, giving a small, wry grin.

She flushed slightly, but nodded unsurely.

Kijima sighed, "Unfortunately, yeah. Not great moments, I'll tell you. I remember the first time it happened and I know it was really humiliating. It was just a simple hand job I let her do, but still."

Kyoko frowned, feeling upset on his behalf, and saw that he was scowling in remembrance too.

"It's more common with aspiring actors and actresses, so you know," he shrugged nonchalantly, though she could see he was actually tense. "Just be careful," he warned.

She nodded vehemently, and the two of them morosely stood there together, waiting for the day to start and for filming to begin.

"Alright, people! Let's begin!"

Kijima was actually kind of surprised that Tsuruga hadn't approached him yet, or had started to badger him about staying away from Kyoko, but as he looked around he saw that the other actor was nowhere in sight. He assumed the other man must've had other work to do that day, so Kijima relaxed more and let himself be just a bit more casual and affectionate with Kyoko, who looked at him in slight question for a moment before letting it go and going back to reading her script.

"Hey, Kijima-san? I think there are changes to the script," she blinked, stopping in the middle of the script and staring.

"Hm?" and he looked at his own script, flipping through and noticed that there were several scenes added that hadn't been there.

He read them more closely, and nearly dropped the script in shock. Taking a glance to his side, he saw that Kyoko was similarly stunned by the changes and looked taken aback.

"I don't suppose you know how this came to be?"

She shook her head, short tawny locks swaying slightly.

Kijima turned back to the script. "I…don't know what in the world the writers are thinking, or when they managed to write and come up with all this stuff. I don't think I even remember seeing any of this yesterday."

"I don't…think I did either."

They took a look at each other, still wearing surprised looks before glancing at Ogata and the various other production staff around.

"Well…I guess it's good that we're comfortable with each other," Kijima shrugged it off.

"I, um, suppose," though Kyoko still seemed caught off guard by the new subplot that was being introduced.

Kijima glanced around, before leaning towards her and cupping the back of her head, face in close to hers. He smirked lazily at her swiftly turning red face.

"But  _Mio_ , you shouldn't be so  _timid_ ," he purred.

Kyoko squeaked and crazily waved her arms about, warding him off. Her head rapidly swung to and fro to see if anyone had seen that, and glared slightly at Kijima.

" _Kijima-san_ , don't do that!" she hissed at him.

Kijima laughed and grinned at her. "But I can't help it! You're so easy to tease, Kyoko-chan! And your reactions! You're so adorable~"

Kyoko pouted and refused to talk to him for the rest of the time they were filming.

However, by the time the day was over, before they got to leave, Ogata had approached them hurriedly.

"Kijima-san, Kyoko-san, please wait!"

They both turned to him, and wondered if it was about the changes to their characters' plotline together. When Ogata caught up to get them, still huffing from the run, they allowed him time to catch his breath before asking what was the matter.

"You see, I was wondering if you'd looked over your scripts and had seen the additions myself and the staff have added," he inquired.

Kijima nodded and answered for the both of them.

"Yes, we did. We were a little shocked, but we're alright with them and think we can do the scenes. Though we have no idea how the whole thing came about."

Ogata sighed in relief. "That's great. As for…how we decided on this, Itsumi-san asked about Mio having a possible love interest some time ago. It wasn't until just recently that we saw something that was able to give us ideas."

"Just recently?" Kyoko asked in surprise, her eyebrows slightly rising.

Kijima, on the other hand, was surprised about Itsumi asking about something like that and being the one to do so, and wondered how that came up.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "That is to say…here," he handed them a disc. "Please watch and study this together for your upcoming scenes. Good work you two and I'll see you tomorrow!"

He bowed politely and then left them be, and the two traded looks.

"How strange," Kyoko commented.

"I wonder what he and the others saw that got them all worked up and inspired for our subplot," Kijima ruminated to himself.

Kyoko nodded in agreement, before remembering she had more work to do that night.

"Kijima-san, is it alright if you could drop me off to Fuji TV?"

Kijima didn't know she had more work, but told her it was alright while asking if he could hang around, since he had nothing to do and he had been hoping to have dinner with her. Though, when they'd gotten there, he couldn't help giggle (yes,  _giggle_ ) at Kyoko in full uniform for her job there.

"You wouldn't be happening to be laughing at me, are you?" Kyoko deadpanned, giving him a deadly glare.

He tried to silence himself, but instead he burst into another fit of giggles. She lost her glare and started pouting, which made him start plainly laughing.

"Haha, laugh it up, mister," she huffed, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Can I take a picture?" he grinned and she gaped at him.

"What? No! Absolutely not!"

" _But this is the best thing I've ever seen_."

She stared at him, but he was still grinning in amusement at her.

"Please?" he pleaded. "I swear, this is the best thing ever."

Because Kyoko in her Bo outfit was just awesome.

She gave him a look, but he persisted. "I'm telling you! You don't know just how  _cute_  you look right now. You  _have_  to let me take a picture of you as Bo."

Kyoko blushed slightly. "Y-you think I look cute like this?"

His grin turned cheesy. "Absolutely! Come on, Kyoko-chan! Let me take a picture."

"O-oh alright," but she didn't seem as reluctant as before.

So she stood there awkwardly, waiting for him. He took out his phone, still grinning like a loon, and held it up, aiming and trying to get a good shot.

"Can you keep Bo's head off and hold it by your head? Smile silly!"

Kyoko couldn't help it. She gave a sincere, huge laugh and smiled widely as she held Bo's head. Kijima snapped the photo and returned her smile.

* * *

She really hadn't wanted Kijima to find out about Bo.

She really, really didn't want him to find out that she worked in LME in the Love Me section, wore a despicable horrid pink outfit, had issues with emotions and was dumped in this section created because of her.

Not at all. Absolutely not.

However, despite her best efforts, Kijima had accompanied her to LME the next morning and had been subjected to the pink cursed uniform of the Love Me section, and she'd had to explain what the section is and told him about her failed audition there, which ended up in the creation of the section and her being drafted into it.

"So…you're not actually an actress?" he asked in confusion, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Not really," she shrugged. "I'm in the Talent division here, under Sawara-san. I need to get a certain amount of points before I can get a debut."

He nodded, processing everything.

"Huh," he blinked slowly. "You have seriously huge luck and talent, Kyoko-chan," he shook his head, grinning slightly.

"Eh? Why would you say that?"

He laughed lightly. "You're only a talent, but you've managed to get some huge projects already and lots of recognition."

She shyly smiled at him, trying not to blush from the compliments. Though, from her backpack she was carrying around, a bunch of the scripts Sawara had just recently handed her fell out, and she remembered depressingly about her dilemma about the roles she was being offered and how they were all mean roles. She knew that Kijima had told her it was best to take them, but…

It was also her luck to run into Kanae at that moment, who looked taken aback to see the two of them there, especially Kijima (whom her eyes slightly bugged out at). By that time, she'd become visibly depressed and had her shoulders hunched.

"Moko-san, this is Kijima-san. Kijima-san, this is Moko-san," Kyoko muttered, halfheartedly gesturing to each one.

"Hello," Kanae bowed to Kijima before turning to Kyoko, shoving at her back and making Kyoko stumble and startle. "In the showbiz world, there are no hunched backs," she deadpanned.

Kijima looked on in amusement.

"Ehhhh? Moko-san!"

"What's the matter? Normally your posture is good beyond reason. Did something happen?" Kanae asked indifferently as she held her off with one hand, refusing a glomp from the younger girl.

Kyoko explained her problem, and Kijima's eyes lit up in understanding, remembering the talk the two had before. Kanae stated she'd refuse the lot, and Kijima had to choke back a laugh at the grumpy expression on her face.

He was further entertained when Kanae burst out, refusing to forever play a poor person and that her future was that of being top actress (and that it would only just be dug up in the future for entertainment). When she turned to Kyoko and said there was nothing wrong with refusing jobs that would hurt her image, he was wondering if he should step in.

He could see Kyoko cheering up, but Kanae went on and he listened again.

"Thinking of your state right now, I don't think you can afford to take jobs that get you nowhere," Kijima was definitely about to interject here, when Kanae spoke more. "It's like you're  _losing_."

Kanae had a dark look on her face, while Kyoko froze and both she and Kijima looked at Kanae curiously.

"Losing? To what?" Kyoko asked obliviously, pointing at herself in question.

Kanae stared. And stared. And stared.

"Ahhh!" Kanae pointed at Kyoko exaggeratedly, but still nothing was said. "Don't-don't you know what product comes out today?" she exclaimed.

Kyoko had a question mark over her head, while Kijima sweatdropped.

"Er…well…you see…basically, shop, shop…what kind," she mumbled, "Well, food…Ah, that's right, ice cream! That ice cream shop we went to before!"

Kijima was in all sorts of confusion, but so was Kyoko.

"…Do new ice creams come out in winter?" Kyoko asked, really confused by then.

So was Kijima, and he was pretty sure ice creams didn't come out in winter either.

"What's this…'You're losing.' I'm really worried now…" Kyoko expressed anxiously.

Kanae suddenly looked frazzled, before changing suddenly and looking upset, holding a fist to her mouth and watering her eyes.

"Th-that ice cream…I really wanted to eat it together with you, Kyoko," she started crying.

As much as he enjoyed and was thoroughly entertained by Kyoko's bliss at Kanae saying her name for the first time, along with her goofy expression, he wasn't as distracted or diverted from what Kyoko's friend had said.

What had she meant by "You're losing"?

But he was very amused at Kyoko stopping some random guy, and boasting smugly about how Kanae said her name for the first time and wanted to eat ice cream with her. It really was a side of her that he hadn't quite seen, though maybe parts of it.

Kanae looked like she was thinking hard about something in irritation, so he made a mention to Kyoko he'd be back after he went to the bathroom. When he came back, the two girls were in shock and awe, and there was a bloody freakin' pirate ship in the building.

This was also just her luck, she was thinking irritably.

"Holy shit, is that really a pirate ship?" Kijima muttered, gazing at it incredulously.

"Ahh, there you are! Hey! Mogami-kun! Hey, I've got a job request for you! It's been awhile since I've made a request to the Love Me section."

Before the President of LME could come down from the ship, Kijima had tugged Kyoko forward eagerly.

"Hey, can we get up there?!" he yelled up.

President Lory looked down inquisitively to see who it was, and was rather surprised to see Kijima Hidehito, of all people, there and casually draping his arm around Kyoko's shoulders. He narrowed his eyes in thought, but thought he would need to snoop around more to get any definitive answers.

A rope ladder was thrown over and Kijima grinned excitedly, pulling Kyoko along. He ignored the thoughtful, intense stare at his back from Kanae, and could guess that Kyoko might have said something about the two of them to her.

"It's a  _pirate_  ship, Kyoko-chan! A pirate ship!"

Started 4/22/13 – Completed 4/29/13


	8. Blow My Whistle

Kijima clambered onto the deck of the pirate ship, helping Kyoko up after him with steady hands. He turned to Lory and mock saluted.

"Mornin', Captain!"

Delighted, Lory grinned and returned the salute.

Surprisingly, Kanae actually climbed up after them, panting and eye twitching irritably.

"Crazy idiots," she muttered.

"Kijima Hidehito, a pleasure," the President said amiably, holding out a hand. "Though a surprise to see you here. Are you looking to transfer to our wonderful establishment?"

"Please to meet you too, President Lory," Kijima shook his hand. "And tempting though it is," his eyes barely glanced at Kyoko, but Lory managed to catch that, "I'll have to decline for the moment."

"Open offer any time," Lory winked, gears turning in his head. "Now…as to the request I have for the Love Me section, it's to Mogami-kun specifically."

And then he dropped the bombshell, leading to three very shocked people in front of him, amusingly gaping with disbelieving expressions.

"No…no way. There's no way I can take care of a super VIP like that! Doesn't he have attendants or something? I thought people like that had lots of attendants!" Kyoko was close to having a break down.

"Kuu Hizuri…" Kijima muttered in a daze.

"Normally, that is the case," Lory shrugged. "However, he isn't normal."

That made Kyoko sweatdrop and give him a deadpan look at the same time.

"Kuu…Hizuri…"

"It'll be alright, Mogami-san. Just be yourself and everything will be fine. He's your sempai too, if you think about it. Though he left LME to go on his own further, he's still part of the family. You'll be fine," Lory soothed.

Kyoko still wasn't sure about all this, but it looked like she didn't really have a choice.

"…Kuu –"

"Kijima-san, I know," Kyoko sighed in exasperation, tugging at his arm. Unknowingly, she'd slipped into the more usual ease and behavior she used with him in private. "If I promise to see if I can get his autograph for you, will you be alright now?"

"I will swear to be your slave forever and ever," Kijima said solemnly.

Amused and surprised at the interaction between the two, Lory made special note of all of this, while Kanae was also noting everything in her own head.

"Also, I should mention that Kuu has been looking forward to Kyoto-style cooking, so if you can make sure to prepare his food in that way, that will be even better," Lory continued informing her of the details. "I know you have superb cooking skills."

"You can count on me, sir!" Kyoko straightened and looked at him with a small grin.

Lory observed that and wondered quietly if his little mouse actually seemed much more outgoing and social than she usually was? He took a quick glance at Kijima. He wondered…

"Excellent. I'll let you know when and where later on," Lory returned the smile much more brightly.

"President Lory, I was wondering if we can actually get a ride on this thing?" Kijima asked, backed to being in awe of an actual pirate ship.

Lory couldn't help the wide grin spreading across his face. Ah, a kindred spirit. "Of course! I'll even give you a tour of our beloved building. All aboard The Black Pearl!"

"Isn't that –"

"This isn't publicly posted and is non-profit, so damn the copyrights!" Lory cackled, and he cracked a whip that appeared in his hand out of nowhere into the air.

Kijima inwardly shrugged it off and eagerly grabbed Kyoko's hand, as the ship started to move, and rushed toward the bow of the ship.

He turned to her and gave such a silly grin that she couldn't help giggling. The mischievous look in his eye had her wondering, but he seemed to be in such a good mood that she couldn't help joining and basking in it.

"You know, I've always wanted to do this," he told her seriously, despite the look on his face.

And then he stepped up to the railings and threw his hands out, whooping before yelling, "I'm the King of the World!"

A gut bursting laugh burst out of her without permission and she clapped her hands delightedly. Being with Kijima was always fun and she always forgot herself.

"Come here, come here," he waved her over, still smiling playfully.

She only was reluctant for a moment, before she gave in and went closer. He took her hand and lifted her up, hefting her to be in front of him and steadied her onto the railings. He settled himself back right behind her, real close, and then had her lift her arms up on either side of her. She went along with it with a roll of her eyes, starting to now get an idea of what he was going for.

"Close your eyes," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist. Once she did so, he continued. "I always wondered if doing this really did feel like flying, like they were saying in the movie. Whatcha think?"

"Hmmm…You know what, it kinda actually really does," she said bluntly.

He burst into laughter, throwing his head back. She let herself smile cheekily, reacting with him, though both of them had forgotten the audience they had behind them.

Later, once he had to leave Kyoko behind, he headed straight for the Dark Moon set. For once, Kyoko wouldn't be there as well, so it would probably just be him, Itsumi, Oohara, and…Tsuruga. He grimaced as he remembered the other man.

Really, what was there to say about a rival?

He had gotten well enough with the other actor before this, especially on other jobs they'd had to do with each other. But now…now they weren't even just good acquaintances (or at least Kijima had thought so) or colleagues. They were actually (truthfully) coworkers on really bad terms, didn't like each other for their personalities and the way the other acted around or was close to a certain girl, and also over the very same girl in the first place. Fact was, they were going to be on opposite sides so long as Kyoko was in the equation.

And Kijima really had no plans at balking or giving up on Kyoko, thank you very much.

But never let it be said that it wasn't awkward sitting right next to Tsuruga, having to keep quiet and trying to avoid looking or starting any kind of conversation with the other, who wore that blasted fake smile (oh he definitely knew of those now –Kyoko had informed him about them, and he was very ready to notice and defend himself against 'em). He glanced over at the opened hangar, seeing excited fans milling about and talking to each other about the straight view they had of him and Tsuruga.

"Lots of fans today," he murmured, though he'd meant to keep it to himself.

"It can't be helped," Tsuruga said suddenly, and Kijima hid his flinch. "Lots of…pretty girls in the crowd, hm?" Kijima looked toward him sharply at that, and he spotted the glint in the eyes of the otherwise unreadable face of his fellow actor.

"Yeah, lots of pretty girls," Kijima gave an equally faked smile. "Not too ecstatic about the guys in the crowd though."

They'd had a similar conversation like this not too long ago, Kijima remembered. It had been only some time before he'd first taken Kyoko out, and he mentioned something about Kyoko/Mio's likability compared to Itsumi's (truthfully, the conversation had actually drawn his attention back to Kyoko ironically, despite that he'd barred himself from ever doing so from the first sight of her –which he now knew why). But he'll be damned if Tsuruga was aiming to get him to say similar words now, that sneaky, horrid bastard. Especially since the original time, he'd meant more of the characters than ever anything to do with the actresses themselves –and he  _would not_  let Tsuruga twist now or then on him. If he was going to pervert Kijima's words and meanings (probably "blab" to Kyoko on him), then he better not count Kijima out because he was definitely ready to fire back.

"And when Mio eventually does become Itsumi's ally, like we speculated last time, there will probably be even more guys, right?" Kijima leaned back lazily, never faltering with his fake smile.

"I don't think there's any worry in that," Tsuruga said calmly.

"Oh? I guess you're right," Kijima sort of repeated what he said last time. "Mio isn't as charismatic as Mizuki, right?" Here, he'd finished brushing everything off and asked Tsuruga about the girls' numbers…

"But that's just a testament to Kyoko's acting ability, isn't it? That Mio is so intimidating and harsh, that even in real life she keeps others away," he suddenly sprung off and he could see Tsuruga being caught off guard and the glint of jealousy and confusion in the other's eyes. He also knew that Tsuruga had caught him being casual and just saying Kyoko's name plainly.

"And in that regard, I bet there are still others who'd like that type of character, and are drawn or fascinated by Mio. Hell, I bet once she becomes an ally, all the other viewers will start to like her as well, or even begin to cheer her on. Either way, more male Mio fans probably will pop up in that crowd."

Standing, Kijima nonchalantly crossed his arms behind his head. "Hey, you got Itsumi-chan and Oohara-san's numbers? Nah, you probably don't. You never do," he said dismissively, though he'd long had their numbers after getting them the first time after he'd asked Tsuruga that and had this original conversation. "I'll go ask them myself. See you later."

Kijima couldn't stand being around the other for a second longer, so he admitted he was retreating and making flimsy excuses (though he wasn't sure if Tsuruga even knew he  _did_  have the other two's numbers already). He didn't like fighting, and he knew being there was just going to get worse, especially with how Tsuruga was now grating on his nerves recently.

He walked off to find Itsumi and Oohara, bored out of his mind and wondering if he could text Kyoko or would be interrupting her work. He thought a quick text would be alright, maybe something to get her smiling…

When work finished up quickly there, he saw a text as he hurried out of the building, that Kyoko was inviting him over to Darumaya's for dinner, as she was going to start practicing making high-end Kyoto-styled cooking. He grinned widely, looking forward to it, especially knowing Kyoko's cooking.

He reached the restaurant in record time, parking closely. Without further ado, he happily strode in and immediately caught sight of the owners, who waved him over. Coming to a stop in front of them, they all exchanged bows and greetings, before they gave him directions to the kitchen Kyoko was working in. He quickly found the way, and another grin tugged at his lips as he saw Kyoko cooking and looking adorably concentrated, and blocking out the world.

He seated himself at a table placed in there, and waited for her to turn before greeting her.

"Hey," he said while waving, once she'd turned to his direction.

She screamed and then held a hand to her chest, as her wide eyes stared at him.

"You…you…Kijima-san! Don't do that!" she screeched.

He held up his hands in a placating manner, still grinning. "Sorry, sorry. It was just a very opportune moment. I couldn't help myself."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Watch it, you. I'm the one cooking your food," Kyoko threatened.

He snickered and held up his hands higher.

"Well, let's have some of the Kyoto high cuisine, eh?"

"Don't rush!" she waved her spatula at him.

"Are you doing 'Kyoto  _kaiseki ryori_ ' then, for high end?" he asked, curious.

"Yes," she beamed at him. "So enjoy!"

And then she served him a small glass of sweet wine and then a selection of really pretty decorated and bite-sized appetizers on a  _hassun_. When he was done, she laid out a bowl of a simple but delish soup, and then a small plate of sashimi when he was almost done. Afterward, she served him the grilled dish portion, having skipped  _nimono_  (boiled dish). He was close to finishing that off when she brought out the  _agemono_  (deep fried dish) with a light dipping sauce he guessed she'd personally concocted, and also guessed that meant it was nearing the end of the meal. Getting a small bowl of miso soup with an equally small bowl of rice, and accompanied by a selection of different types of pickles, told him he was right. He started eating the  _shokuji_ set, watching as she finished up something and was practically done when she'd brought whatever it was over.

He salivated and stared at what was obviously dessert.

"Probably a little too heavy for  _kaiseki_ ," Kyoko smiled sheepishly, but placed the delicious dessert in front of him. "Kyoto-style  _Chakin Shibori_  Sweet Potato with Cinnamon."

"Kyoko-chan, I declare my undying devotion to you and throw myself at your feet," Kijima said devotedly, before digging in. "So, so good," he moaned.

Kyoko laughed. "I'm glad you liked dinner then. I'm going to keep practicing for the week, so I'm counting on you to be my guinea pig, sempai!"

Kijima moaned again. "All week, delicious Kyoto cooking. I'm going to gain so many pounds, but I won't care at all. I regret nothing."

Kyoko blushed and hid her face in her hands, but she couldn't help grinning into them.

* * *

"You shouldn't be so embarrassed."

"But I am," Kyoko declared, face flaming red after reading the site's article. "I can't believe I'm really looking this up and reading any of this."

"Neither can I."

She threw one of his textbooks ( _'Heavy!'_ ) at his head, but he was able to dodge, still chuckling to himself as he continued reading his book, glass smartly perched on his nose. Kyoko glared at his half-naked form as he wore only his boxers, noting the broadness of his shoulders, the firm muscles of his torso and even down his abs, and as well as the leanness of his legs.

"You're distracting," she huffed, giving him a withering glare. "Researching  _this_  doesn't help with you walking around like that, you nudist."

"I like being Bohemian."

Sighing irritably, though she snuck one more blushing glance at him, she turned back to his computer and continued reading. She had been much too embarrassed and mortified about looking up anything to do with sex on any device she owned, or to any local establishments, so she had resorted to stealing Kijima's laptop and reluctantly looking things up there.

_How to Suppress the Gag Reflex_

Apparently gagging was a common occurrence while doing… _it_. So she'd looked up on how the gag reflex could be suppressed and found this article. If only she could make herself read it.

Numbing your soft palate…disengaging your gag reflex…relaxing…making a fist…

She twitched. She felt rather lewd, despite the article not even being sexual or meant for sexual means in the slightest.

That didn't mean she couldn't help being embarrassed.

To distract herself, she took Kijima's phone and flipped through it. When she curiously looked at his contacts, she blinked and her lips twitched up once, before she began to just giggle.

"What's your problem?" Kijima asked her in amusement.

"Kijma-san, you know practically your whole contacts list is filled with women?"

Kijima snorted. "Yes, yes. You're the second to make the observation," he said dryly.

He told her about Mikoto and her categorizing of his list, as well as her adamancy that Kijima was hilariously pathetic. That caused more giggles to erupt from her, while she decided to look at his top five, immediately quieting upon seeing her name as number one. She moved on to the other names, so that she couldn't notice the heat from her cheeks.

There was a Junko…Mitsuki…Nodoka…and…Her eyes widened seeing Mikoto's name there as well.

"I didn't know you'd been with Mikoto-san before," her question implicitly was asked.

He gave up on his reading, tossing the book to the side as he went over and plopped himself on the ground by her feet, sitting cross-legged.

"Let's see…two years ago, maybe? It's been awhile. We were really good friends, slept with her more than once…I set her up with her husband, you know? He's American and he's been working here on an overseas contract, and I became friends with him on a job. We're still really close, so I keep her on my top five as one of my close friends. Nodoka's on there too –you don't know her, but she's a close friend as well, and I also set her up with her fiancé."

"You're a little matchmaker, aren't you?" Kyoko grinned.

He shrugged, but shot back a smug grin.

"Who's Mitsuki and Junko then?" she asked, curious about the other two women he considered worthy of top five.

"Mitsuki is my older sister," he said honestly, surprising her. "She's a doctor. I have an older brother too, who's a lawyer. I don't know why I still have Junko in there…she does have a great mouth though," he shrugged.

Normally, with the other women Kijima talked about, Kyoko didn't really mind and was even curious. But for some reason, this Junko and hearing his comment about her, made Kyoko inwardly frown and a bolt of some emotion go through her (though she savagely pushed it down).

With that in mind, she turned back to the laptop and studiously began to read, eyes narrowed in concentration. It bemused Kijima, who was now being ignored in favor of the tech. Shrugging to himself, he went and retrieved his book and collapsed onto his front on his bed.

The rest of the week was passing quickly, and each morning and night she would spend at least ten seconds brushing her tongue at where her gag reflex began. She even bought a numbing throat spray to desensitize her soft palate. She also periodically put a dab of table salt on the tip of her tongue, or if she had the time, put a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and rinsed her mouth with it before spitting. She'd even practiced breathing through her nose.

And then it was Sunday and it was time and she didn't eat so if she gagged she wouldn't throw up and shewasn'tsureshewasreallyready –

But she was Mogami Kyoko and she didn't back down –she wouldn't lose to this mysterious person Kanae had been referring to, to Shotaro, and  _definitely_  not this  _Junko_.

* * *

When Kijima answered his door, he'd mentally prepared himself for the day. He had not, however, accounted for the uncharacteristic aggression of Kyoko, as she pushed him back into his apartment, slammed the door behind her, and had gotten him to his couch without him even noticing.

His pants were unzipped before he could finally stop her and slow her down.

"Woah, wait a sec, Kyoko-chan," and she blinked up at him.

It wasn't really helping, as she was still kneeling between his knees and had a horribly wonderful gratuitous and blushing look on her face, that shouldn't be accompanied by wide eyes.

"You should slow down. Don't you want to maybe take your time, try to gather your nerves or something? 'Cause I don't mind if you need to."

She blinked once. "No."

And without warning his cock was pulled out, and her hot, wonderful mouth was wrapped around it, already halfway covering it. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he only had half a mind to reach over and grasp her head with his hands, slowing her pace and gently guiding her head. He murmured things he hoped were reassuring, but was probably nonsensical, because Kyoko’s mouth felt so good on him and he couldn’t think half passed the feeling of her mouth on him and the way her tongue sensually wrapped and unwrapped around his length as she moved up and down his cock.

He managed to make himself pull away after a bit, and though she looked at him with tempting reddened lips and questioning ochre eyes, he made himself exhale and think a bit.

"That…was a really, excellent start," he praised her, and she beamed at him.

He took his cock in hand and directed it back to her lips, and she opened her mouth and wordlessly took it back in.

"Remember to don't bite down, and tap my thigh if you feel like you need a breather or to slow down even more, alright?"

And then she was fantastically sucking him again, and after a few times, she actually managed to fit the whole thing in her mouth and he hummed in pleasure, caressing tawny locks in encouragement. Soon his hips started to buck up, and he began thrusting into her mouth a little bit.

"Kyoko," he said her name huskily, leaving out the usual attachment. She looked up through hooded eyes, but she didn't stop bobbing her head. "I'm going to cum soon."

She didn't look away and his eyebrows flew up. He hesitated, but gave her a nod. Gripping her head firmly, he began thrusting a little more and he came into her mouth a few moments later. He watched mesmerized as she swallowed it down, and he groaned aloud at the sight.

"Was I better than Junko?" she asked immediately after and he blinked, processing her question.

His lips twitched up fondly. "Yes, Kyoko. You most definitely felt better."

Though she was amateurish in technique, she honestly felt a lot better and he'd liked being with her more anyway.

He gave her a wolfish grin. "It's definitely my turn, isn't it? I think I should repay the favor."

Minutes later, Kyoko's face was burning red and her bare legs were quivering as Kijima ran his tongue up and down her moist nether lips. When his lips enclosed around her clit, she whimpered and tried to clutch at something, but she was splayed out on his coffee table and her fingers were grasping at nothing but nails scraping against glass and marble.

The moment his tongue entered her, she cried out and couldn’t stop her hips from bucking upwards. Embarrassingly, she came immediately at that moment, and she brooded inwardly about being so inexperienced that she couldn’t keep herself from orgasming so early.

But his mouth kept moving against her and she felt like her mind was blown.

It was like the world turned completely white.

Started 5/12/13 – Completed 5/14/13


	9. Burn Up

She hated the cursed pink uniform with a passion…only she actually didn't hate it as much as she used to. Why? Because of that idiot…

" _Hey, hey! Don't worry._ _ **I**_ _think you're really cute in this uniform!"_

Kyoko grumbled under her breath, but she knew there was a light red color dusting her cheeks right then.

Her embarrassment at having to once again wear the Love Me uniform again was exacerbated by the large crowd inside of Narita International Airport, in the area where she was supposed to pick up Kuu Hizuri. And she knew her uniform was drawing too much attention…

When he came out, she thought he seemed pretty okay. Everyone was cheering for him, and he was willingly interacting back to the fans. He had a nice smile, tall, styled blond hair, dressed pretty stylish too…and he was handsome. All in all, Kyoko thought that maybe this assignment didn't seem like it would be too bad.

And then he looked up, straight into her eyes, and gave her a glare.

She twitched and heard alarm bells going off in her head, at the same time as her anger antennae demons popped up.  _Why_  did it seem and feel like he actually  _hated_  her, when they'd never met before and she hadn't done anything to him?

It didn't seem like a smooth assignment after all.

Even when he reached her, insulted her, and basically told her to walk far away from him because she was strange and it would be embarrassing, she kept her mouth shut and smiled. She promised Kijima his autograph, and a promise was a promise.

Even if she really was starting to dislike this man.

At the Tokyo Imperial Herald Hotel, they were quickly directed to where he was staying, on the Imperial Floor Special Suite. It was an amazing place, and a commoner like Kyoko was easily dazzled by the extravagance and lavishness of the rooms. The splendor made her mind whirl, and her giddy, princess-infected side of her brain giggle at the luxuriousness that would be sure to be fit for royalty.

She almost missed Kuu being rude and demanding she leave him alone to sleep, while she should be off to make his "Kyoto-styled food." Citron in the miso soup, rice in a wooden container, raw and grilled fish included –got it. Now she could continue to ogle and be amazed at the suite.

It wasn't long until Kyoko started to prepare the ingredients and then began prepping for the meals. She hummed to herself as she did so, her lips twitching up a little as she realized she was singing Kijima's "wolf song." She wondered what he was doing and if he was okay. She wondered if he was thinking about her right then…

She cut that thought off and immediately felt alarmed, before thinking she was just over thinking and being silly. It was just a simple thought…Kyoko continued on with her work, and tried to ignore the heat on her cheeks and the uneasiness she felt and knew was on her face.

Of course, when he came back out and insulted her food that she really worked hard to make and learn to do so beforehand (and that he'd been hoping she'd been clueless and didn't understand English, so he could have just kicked her out), she just nearly went ballistic. Calling for room service and then threatening to call President Lory was just "icing on the cake."

So she decided it would be fair if she called President Lory herself. Sweetly and cheerfully, she talked into the phone and fibbed a little about the job, but the bigger lie was that President Lory wasn't even on the other end anyway. She hung up, feeling very smug.

Kyoko pretended Kuu was a drunk and treated him accordingly, as if he were a drunk and her behavior was good enough for her to be the Okami of an inn or restaurant.

In retaliation, he went over and gathered all of the food she worked hard to create, and dumped it all in a bag. Then he started mixing up the beautiful results of her hard, hard, hard work and she was screaming "HATE!" inside of her.

To her consternation, he even mockingly told her to give it over to her "commoner friends" that she worked with in the Tsukigomori remake. He snidely insulted Ren, and she was already off and ready to go ballistic for sure.

She didn't notice how she had somehow managed to create medium-sized craters all over the room as she glared angrily at Kuu.

"His name is Ren," she growled angrily. "And I have no doubts he'll surpass the likes of even you soon. As for my 'commoner friends,' Itsumi-san is far from being a commoner and I would dare you to call her that in front of her leagues of fans," and she knew about Itsumi's rabid fanbase of loyal guys. "And Oohara-san is nowhere near being a commoner like myself either! And there's Iizuka-san, who you should know and would definitely make you take that back. And Kijima-san," her cheeks grew red from both an unnamed emotion she couldn't identify and also huge fury on his behalf. "Don't ever talk about him like that!" she said shrilly.

Somehow it further escalated (or should she rather say 'spiraled down?') into a screaming match between the two, whereas they both began to be childish and insult each other, and then somehow downgraded to where she dared him to eat the leftovers. This "test" goaded him on to eating the food and he ate it immediately.

Her mind was boggled when he even demanded for more and finished the entire thing.

When she left the place, she was just so irritated and frustrated that she immediately and unconsciously headed to Kijima's place, and began mindlessly banging on his door vehemently. Of course, she started to feel really guilty when she saw that Kijima looked like he just woke up as he answered the door.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Kijima-san," she apologized quickly and was starting to begin excessively bowing in apology, when he just sighed and pulled her close.

She felt her cheeks warm as she stood absolutely still in his embrace, feeling his breath tickling her neck as he held her and had his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Something tells me you're riled up," he murmured. "Come on in, sweetheart."

He dragged her in tiredly, yawning every few seconds.

"Sorry I woke you," she apologized again, still feeling guilty.

He waved her off. "Nah, I needed to wake up anyway. Got a presentation I need to get ready for tomorrow, and I need to finish reading the material for it."

"Presentation?" she asked curiously.

"For school," he informed her, grimacing.

Kyoko twitched. School…school…school…When was the last time  _she'd_  gone to school?

He let her start, and she couldn't help talking about it. Soon, she was just venting and working up steam, getting all worked up as she recalled the day and meeting this so-called infamous Kuu Hizuri. Then she apologized to Kijima for not being able to get his autograph like she'd promised.

Kijima looked surprised. "Huh. I'm surprised he's such a jerk. I'd always heard he was such a nice guy. I guess not."

But Kyoko was already starting to feel bad and embarrassed about her behavior. She'd apologize to the famous actor tomorrow, and beg for forgiveness and Kijima's autograph.

Soon enough, the two of them had settled outside of his apartment, on his balcony and basking in the open air. He sat on the ground, leaning against the glass doors as he started reading with his glasses on. She watched him as she sat across from him, feeling fond and cheerful then.

"So you worship and want to be like Tsuruga, huh?" he asked in a measuring voice, though she was surprised and thought it would sound a little more teasing. "As his kohai, who he takes care of, you two must be very close. He must be your favorite sempai, right?"

Kyoko frowned in thought. "No, not really. We're not really close, I think. I really look up to him and want to one day be on par with his skills, but we don't really hang out too often, not like we do. I think we're closer, because we're not just sempai and kohai. We're…we're friends," she added hesitantly, looking at him tentatively.

But he was beaming at her when she looked up to him, and she returned the emotion.

He closed his book with a loud snap and tossed it to his side, before gesturing to her to come over. Confused, she started to come over when he shook his head.

"Crawl over. Onto my lap too," he said huskily, and his eyes were dark and it was all making her breathe heavily.

She licked her lips anxiously before she started to crawl on her hands and knees towards him, and then crawled onto his lap. He helped adjust her to straddle him, and then he was pressing her down onto his bulge and she inhaled a sharp breath, immediately beginning to blush.

"Kyoko-chan," he murmured into her ear. "Let me show you how friendly I can be," he teased.

She let out a squeak.

And then his hands was on her hips and was helping her move in a rocking motion, and then she was rocking against him and feeling her eyes rolling in her head at the friction.

"K-Kijima-san," her voice broke, instinctively squeezing her thighs together.

Being that he was between her legs, it just further made her rub against him and she made a highly embarrassing keening noise. But she couldn't help it, more so when she started to rock against him faster.

"Come for me, Cinderella.  _Come_ ," he growled into her ear, and she could immediately feel herself just let go when she heard him.

Dear Kami, don't tell her she had a  _fairytale fetish_  or something…

She slumped against him, hiding her face in his neck.

"Um, Kyoko…–"

"Don't. Just…don't." she muttered.

Her face continued to flame red.

The next morning, she left his apartment and headed over to where Kuu was staying, feeling much happier but also still horrified with herself for her behavior the night before. As soon as his door opened, she was going to apologize.

And she did. Profusely.

"I'm terribly sorry," she didn't hear anything but silence and she knew her entire body was bright red. "I'm sorry for last night. Even if I was insulted by an esteemed sempai, to display so much rude behavior in my rage, is truly…something I am shocked at myself…and I'm reflecting on it," Kyoko didn't dare look up, especially when the silence continued.

"Humph! It's because the Japanese are like this and don't have pride that I don't like them. You don't have to immediately start bowing and scraping all the bloody time. If you have time to waste flapping your lips, then I'd much rather you get on with your duties."

She was so ecstatic her head shot up, and she smiled brightly at the already turned back of her employer.

"Right! I'll get on breakfast right away, Mr. Hizuri! Thank you very much!" she bowed several more times, before happily skipping off to the kitchen. "I didn't get fired, I didn't get fired~ Yay, hey! Time for work," she hummed to herself as she went on her way.

She thought that it seemed like he didn't want high-class Kyoto meals, so maybe some simple stuff. More things a commoner like her would eat usually…

"Right! I'll try making some Kyoto commoner style breakfast," and she started to think of the ingredients she'd need and could use for breakfast that morning.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the television.

"The beginning of the legend of Fuwa Sho's legend of invincibility?" was how the report ended in her ears.

"…legend…of…invincibility?" she muttered, feeling heavy and claustrophobic.

She felt motionless. She was completely immobile as she watched the television dumbly, feeling numb and cold. The graph highlighting his hits, the play by play talk of his conquering of the music charts, it all went through her in a daze.

She felt jolts of  _pain_  go through her.

Pain.  _Really_. She couldn't believe it, but she hurt and she didn't want to admit it and she felt so, so, so numb but she hurt too and –

The rambling going on in her head went on and on, and she felt like she'd been pushed out of her body and was held captive as she stood stuck in front of the television, unable to turn or look away. Her chest was tight and her heart felt like it was being squeezed. Everything was just too much.

"Hey…"

She hadn't even noticed that she'd been joined by a worried Kuu, though he played at being cool and nonchalant.

Though he had begun to stare at her in shock and worry, she was staring at the television in horrified dismay and despair.

' _I_ _ **felt**_ _like I was about to collapse from despair.'_

She could not take the usual pride in her work as she made Kuu's breakfast, retreating into a corner as she huddled there and further spiraled into her misery.

Sho's voice…the style in which he sang…in how he managed to create a depth to his song and his tone to the level he'd never had managed before…It's all different…

Because she could not recall him ever having conveyed such depth of feelings in his songs.

She did not want to admit that his voice sounded so beautiful; that even after all this time, she could be pulled into his voice and his song, and experience such an emotional response.

_She felt ill realizing all this_.

As she sunk to her knees and curled into a ball, unheeding of anything, she recalled dully what Kanae had told her before.

It was like Kyoko was losing.

And now she understood what the other female had meant, and she knew that was exactly how it was. She was losing. To Sho. And she was on track to keeping behind.

_She didn't want that_.

"Losing," she muttered under her breath.

Not to Sho. Never to him.

"Hey. What's been wrong with you? You're slacking off. There's not enough side dishes. Make something."

She felt dead inside and couldn't correctly respond or do anything. She could only weakly hand over a package of  _furikake_ , knowing she mostly likely resembled a zombie with the way she was acting.

Why? Why was it always like this? She thought she was finally catching up and that  _she would show him_.

She went back to her corner, slumping into her lifeless position, probably looking more like a corpse to Kuu. She knew this display of her wasn't impressive, but she couldn't muster any energy or care in her right then.

Even after he'd thoughtlessly took the package and stared at her in apprehension, Kyoko's thoughts were continuing to grow more and more depressing as she brooded.

She wasn't making any progress. At all. Not when she was being offered the same sort of roles, and not getting a chance to grow. Sho gave her such a challenge…

Yet, she was failing to meet it when she was stuck doing things like this.

Was it really okay then? To be cooking and doing silly assignments like this, when  _he_  was off making a legend out of himself?

As lunchtime came, she mechanically and yet furiously went through making Kuu's meal. The thoughts recycled through her head and she couldn't get them out. She wanted to do more! She wanted to act in all sorts of roles, to challenge herself, and make a name for herself too! Was that too much to ask? Could she not do the same, be a legend and find her own niche in this world?

She didn't want to be behind  _him_  anymore.

It was time, she decided. Despite Sawara letting her wait and the wise words of her dear Kijima…she really wanted…she had to…!

Kyoko called Sawara immediately, and told him about her decision to not accept any of the roles. When he panicked and asked her if she was sure, she was desponded as she replied as certain as she could back to him.

"…Yes. If I wait any longer, I'll just be causing trouble for them, so…"

She continued trying to reassure him, before she tried to make it final.

"Really…For all of the requests to be 'Mio-like' mean roles…I'm scared for my image to get hardened on such roles. When I consider that I might not get to act other types of roles, then…for acting, there's no way I want to continue acting 'mean roles,' so…this is my decision after thinking this through."

Sawara tried again, but she cut him off. "…Yes. I'm terribly sorry, but…please refuse all the requests that I –"

The phone was suddenly yanked out of her hand, and she turned in shock to see that Kuu was the culprit.

"Sorry to jump in. Hizuri here. Please ignore everything she just said."

"Eh, who?" she could hear Sawara ask.

"Kuu."

"Ehh?!"

"She simply doesn't understand everything about the situation she's in yet," Kuu continued coolly, without pause to Sawara's amazed reaction. "Please wait until the fever that's gone to her head has cooled down."

"Yes, of course! Please tell her to call back then."

"Sure. Please take care of it," and then he hung up and chucked the phone over his shoulder back to her.

"I-I haven't lost my head," she yelled at him.

And then she got the most memorable lecture she ever remembered getting, with Kuu speaking calmly, collected and yet oh so wisely. She couldn't help hearing a soft overlap of Kijima's voice over his in the back of her head, and regretted acting so rashly in the face of Sho's seeming invincibility in regards to  _her_.

He wasn't invincible, and especially not to her. And she had to be patient.

She needed to grow and on her terms.

" _Giving life to the 'role' is the duty of the 'actor' and nobody else."_

She listened carefully to everything he had to say, and took every word Kuu advised her to heart. She devoured every advice he had to give her.

Then he was encouraging, daring, challenging her –and now she had the assignment of "Kuon" that she had to perfect and make him proud of.

* * *

When Kijima saw her on the Dark Moon set after she'd seen to Kuu Hizuri for the day, he hadn't expected her to be…bipolar. As he watched her, she went back and forth between looking cheerful, before she was suddenly looking like the world was ending.

He was really worried and wondered what was wrong.

Kijima felt disgruntled as he saw Tsuruga approach her on one of the times she looked contemplative, but just stayed back and let her interact with her other sempai. He saw the two have a rather normal conversation, though Tsuruga looked worried and anxious. And then at some point of their conversation, Kyoko was looking at Tsuruga like he was God and she needed salvation. And then she freaked out when it was her time to film, and she practically ran away from the other actor.

When it was the end of the day and time to get out of there, he passed his dressing room and headed straight to Kyoko's, intending to talk to her and get to the bottom of her odd behavior.

He found her moping at her head dresser, looking miserable and self-pitying. He went over and sat down next to her without a word, patiently waiting for her to speak. And then she was telling him everything that happened that day, glazing over Fuwa Sho's minute involvement in all of it.

While wondering over Kuu's odd turnaround towards her, a part of him was more concerned and bothered about this deep resentment towards Fuwa, that he was sure was more important than she was trying to let on.

He was a bit amused about Tsuruga's tiny part earlier though.

"You told me about it easily," he pointed out. "Not worried you'll be asking me for help?"

She blushed. "Well…it was just really easy and natural to blurt it all out to you. We're friends too, so I didn't really think too much on it…"

He laughed lightly and ruffled her hair fondly. "Alright, it sounds like you don't want any help, so I won't be offering any. How about you try to come up with 'Kuon's' character now, and I'll take you shopping for his clothes after?"

"Okay!"

He was then treated to Kyoko going through the motions of thinking of how to make this Kuon character, and was amused by all the different characteristics she imitated subconsciously outwardly. But it was when it looked like something finally clicked in her, like a light bulb lit up in her head, that he was treated to something much more astonishing –and saw a change in Kyoko that was remarkable.

She combed her hair in a certain way and gave a soft smile to the mirror, and Kijima was struck dumb and utterly enraptured.

"How do you do, Kyoko. My name is…Corn. No! Ah, wait. Kuon, my name is Kuon. Wait, it's supposed to be in English –"

Boy Kyoko was just as cute as Girl Kyoko.

He was in a daze as he took Kyoko away from the Dark Moon set, heading straight to a store he knew would open for him, despite it being closing hours. Though he vaguely remembered Kyoko protesting and saying she could just borrow clothes from LME, he just said it would be fine since he knew the owner. And he did –being that Nodoka was the owner, and as an ex-partner, current friend, and that he'd helped her get together with her fiancé, he had no qualms pulling favors for Kyoko.

And Kyoko just blinked at the pretty woman, blushing cutely and giving a shy wave.

"That was Nodoka?" she whispered to him. "She's really pretty. And nice."

"She is, she is," he agreed, nodding. "But she's got a sharper tongue. She can play nice, but underneath all that niceness…" he shivered and gave a look to Kyoko, who sort of understood. "Oh she knows how to bite back if you get on her bad side, you can count on that."

He started rifling through the racks put out especially for them, looking for a good style and making sure it was a small size to fit Kyoko's slim frame. He found a few outfits, humming in approval as he eyed his choices with a critical eye.

"These should be good. And I pulled a few more to buy just in case, you know, if you ever decide you want to go cross-dressing again, rule the world by getting both men and women to bow down to your awesomeness –" At hearing her silence, he turned towards her and saw she was staring at the ground and for some reason depressed again. "Kyoko-chan?"

She lifted her head up weakly and gave him a half-hearted smile. "Sorry, Kijima-san. I'm just…tired. And still thinking about my abhorrent behavior earlier and hoping my Kuon will be well received."

"Bull," he called. "Maybe you are a bit, but I think this has a lot to do with Fuwa-kusotare," he spat the name out.

Though she blushed at the insult, she stammered out a denial. "W-what makes you think this has anything to do with Fuwa Sho?"

"Gut feeling," he glared at her. "And I almost always trust my instincts. I  _know_  you have something against him and that it's personal. Spill it." His tone and look softened. "Hey…come on. You tell me a lot, right? If this is something that really bothers you and it's really personal, I can back off. Just tell me that. Don't lie to me, alright?"

Kyoko was quiet for a moment, before she nodded and he turned back to the clothes.

"So I think this outfit would go best for tomorrow –"

"We were childhood friends," Kyoko quietly said suddenly, stopping him in his tracks, and he turned to her in surprise.

She began telling him everything, from how her mother abandoned her to growing up with Fuwa and how he'd asked her to leave Kyoto to go to Tokyo with him. That eventually, all the truths came spilling out one day, and Kyoko overheard how her  _childhood friend and crush_  really felt about her and how she'd sworn revenge and was trying so hard to make him regret everything.

And despite her obviously stubbornly holding her tears back and trying not to be as upset as she was, forcing herself to be angry more…he could tell no matter how much anger and hate she made herself focus on when it came to Fuwa, that there was still an undercurrent of hurt and pain deep inside of her that she tried to hide and not acknowledge, even to herself.

His blood boiled and he felt a deep sense of hate for a boy he'd never even met, but swore he would beat the shit out of if he ever met him. He had never really hated anyone or wanted to fight someone so much before, not even Tsuruga…but this Fuwa Sho deserved nothing more than to get his ass handed to him (and he'd be more than happy to be the one doing it), and Kijima wouldn't even fucking care if the tabloids were to catch wind of it or even see it themselves.

However, right now he had Kyoko and she was looking up at him upset and teary eyed, and all he could do was pull her close and silently promise that he wouldn't tell anyone about tears she never wanted to shed over a bastard like that.

So he just pulled her close and she felt safe enough to do so.

Started 6/19/13 – Completed 6/20/13


	10. Androgynous Prince

Kyoko felt like a weight had lifted from her shoulders, and she admitted it had felt so good to just unload everything on Kijima, who was sweet and supporting. He, on the other hand, was happy to be so supporting…but he was so fucking pissed at Fuwa Sho, it wasn't even funny. He'd never really felt violent before, but this time he felt like making an exception.

That night, he stewed over the whole thing in a quiet rage, though he felt calmer as Kyoko snuggled up to him.

The next morning, she was to start the day as Kuon, and she was going to leave early. She'd told him her plans, and he wished her luck. He wasn't sure how she could cook anything that was bad, having tasted her cooking himself on a near daily basis, but he silently also wished luck on Kuu if it was successfully as bad as Kyoko had made it sound it would be.

He made his own way to work, meeting up with his manager for the TV spot he had to do that day. While waiting, he put his headphones into his ears, listening to English songs. His favorite band Journey playing in his ears, he had just about been close to relaxing while he flipped through the program brochure. His fingers stilled and he stopped flipping.

_Fuwa Sho_.

Oh, he wanted to get out of his dressing room and stomped into that little brat's, and deliver the ass whopping of a lifetime. That being said (and he grimaced at this), he refrained for the sole reason as he had work to do and he was professional.

That didn't mean he couldn't do a few things to make that shit's life hell for the day.

He was a veteran at this stuff, so he knew exactly where everything was supposed to be. He slipped out of his dressing room, located the refreshments set aside for the guests, and found the ones set aside for Fuwa. He grabbed them and emptied them into the sink, watching the drinks go down the drain gleefully.

His next stop was the wardrobe, where he found Fuwa's still there, not yet to be put aside. Whistling cheerfully, he located Fuwa's pants and easily found the correct seam. Grinning wildly, he used the scissors he brought with him from his dressing room, and slit the pants a certain way. He also found Fuwa's fruit basket, and cheerfully took a few bites of most of the fruits and then turning them a certain way into the basket to hide the bites.

Inwardly cackling, he strutted back to his room. On his way there, he heard Fuwa's stupid voice singing smugly in a hallway crossing his path. Kijima froze and felt himself immediately tensed up, the singer's voice grating his ears as he felt like growling and rushing to the bastard, with a punch at the ready. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and took another just in case.

Then he said to hell with it and jammed his sunglasses on, mussing up his hair as he sneered, rushing towards the direction of the voice. He saw Fuwa immediately and dove right in, marching up to the singer and snatching the front of his shirt, bodily picking him up and slamming him rather roughly against the wall.

"What the –Who the hell are you?! Get your fucking hands off me!" Fuwa snarled at him.

Kijima sneered. "Shut it, you little shit," he growled, aware that his voice was much deeper due to his irritation and newfound hatred of the guy. "I have one thing to say to you –you're a miserable little asshole who deserves to be thrown to the wolves and lose every little penny, fame, and misplaced admiration you've got.  _This_  is for my girl," and he decked Fuwa right in his pretty, little face.

He hoped this bastard's makeup artist had trouble covering up the bruise.

Kijima marched away without another word, ignoring the cursing and yells from the dyed blond (and he knew that ass's hair wasn't real, Kyoko told him it was dyed) singer. He finally reached his dressing room and took a few moments to try to calm himself down, and was startled when his manager popped his head in and asked if he needed anything. He gave him a strained smile and shook his head, running a hand through his hair and trying to fix it back to normal.

He changed clothes, not wanting to be recognized by Fuwa in any way, and give Kyoko any grief. When he was done, it was time for him to head through to makeup and then go for his interview. He plastered on a smile, inwardly still calming himself from the incident.

Afterwards, he was getting ready to leave when he once again was faced with Fuwa. Confident on not being recognized, he marched up to the irritated singer, who was yelling at the poor assistant assigned to him by the studio. He was making quite the spectacle…

With an easy-going grin on his face, he strode over to them.

"My, my, what's all this ruckus?" he made his tone friendly. "Love, don't cry. A pretty face like yours doesn't need the tears," he winked at the sniffling girl, who blushed and gave him a small smile. He turned to Fuwa. "And Fuwa-san, you look like quite the bad guy, don't you?" Kijima practically purred. "You should calm your temper. Doesn't seem right in front of all these people, hm? Good performance though, Fuwa-san."

He didn't want to admit that, but it had been pretty good. However, he still could care less about this jerk in front of him, and was happier with the double entendre his compliment came out like.

Kijima clapped Fuwa's back good-naturedly before smoothly walking away from the embarrassed and startled singer, tossing a friendly grin at the others around, all of whom gave him friendly grins back.

"Ah, Kijima-san is so nice," he heard one of them whisper to another.

"He is, especially compared to Fuwa-san's behavior right now."

Kijima crowed in triumph in his head. Score for Team Kyoki and none for Fuwa-kusotare!

He took his phone out and glanced at it, amazed to see a bunch of messages from Kyoko. He flicked through a few, deciding he'd look more thoroughly through them later. He grinned and gained a slight blush as he saw the pictures of Kyoko's Kuon.

He laughed lightly to himself. Goddamnit, Kyoko was the only one who could make him feel attracted to boys. Even as a boy, Kijima was attracted to that vixen of a girl.

He sent a quick text to her.

_I might be gay for the day._

She was quick to respond back, sending him a picture of Kuon smirking and giving him a victory sign to the phone camera. He rolled his eyes and pocketed his phone.

Kijima started whistling again as he headed over to his car, grinning in anticipation. He needed to do some shopping for tonight, before he had to head over to the Dark Moon set, in celebration for Kyoko for a successful completion of her assignment and day as Kuon.

How did you make a Cinderella again? That's right, 3 ounces of lemon juice, 3 ounces of orange juice, and 3 ounces of pineapple juice –and you have a virgin cocktail. Perfect for Kyoko, to its name and down to its non-alcohol nature and sweetness. Mix it up and serve with ice, and very probably a  _karumeyaki_  to top it off.

Kijima had to think very carefully on where to get the brown sugar cake though. The  _karumeyaki_ had to be perfect for today…

After all, a little party never killed anyone.

* * *

When the day started, Kuu wasn't sure how to take it. He woke up, believing his son was truly there. Kyoko's act of Kuon was so spot on it was scary. It was really  _good_ too. She had talent, this girl.

Breakfast seemed so normal, as if he really was having breakfast with his son. This bright, talented girl version of his son seemed so much different than the depressed zombie corpse from yesterday, and seeing her smile made his heart warm.

A Kuon that couldn't cook was adorable and not really off the mark. He gladly ate the breakfast mess, despite how far from the usual deliciousness her normal cooking it was. She probably hadn't expected him to eat it. She looked so taken aback and panicked as he ate the egg shell that he inwardly chuckled and wanted to ruffle her hair.

But to see her cry and smile like that after, it just made him want to hug her and cuddle her and  _just coo in her ear_.

Hearing her explain about her mother and express her apologies for breaking persona and being disappointed in herself, made him inwardly scowl in thought towards her mother and want to cuddle her even more.

They headed towards his TV spot and he was very amused and growing all the more fonder of her as she continued to act as Kuon, expressing her exaggeration of the Japanese language and lifestyle. It was hard holding back his giggles and snorts, and hiding his lapses from her. At one of those times he tried to hide, he felt extremely bad and sorrowful when he realized how lost and timid she was in trying to reach out to him, hoping to comfort him but not knowing what to do.

He did his best to distract her, teasing her and making her come at him. Her hesitancy was adorable, but her awkward attacks were more so. He barely tried in defending himself, inwardly grinning at her pouting and confusion. He then was giving her a challenge, inwardly cooing at the obvious pleasure and ecstasy at being given the privilege to be the one to try to attack him. His Kuon would not have accepted, but he was thrilled with the defiant and rebellious look she tossed his way as she accepted.

He had a great time on the game show, feeling nostalgic about his old stage name and trivia about himself. He could feel Kyoko's adoring gaze from the side, and inwardly grinned to himself. He also remembered all of her previous attempts to attack him and almost laughed aloud, live on television and in front of everyone, from the memories that flashed through his head.

She was so  _adorable_.

He finished up there and then walked off stage, surprised to find she wasn't there. He looked around, ready for an attack, but it seemed she truly wasn't there. He went to look for her, caught off guard to see her confronting the real Kuon. His wonderfully, handsome, smart, and absolutely brilliant son.

Ohhh, his son and his other son/daughter that he wanted to adopt (he wondered how that would work with an absentee mother and unknown father, but he'd make it work somehow…) were both there together! This was just perfect.

He walked closer, interrupting and playing it cool, directing all his attention towards Kyoko. Though it was amusing seeing Kuon's expressions, he reeled in Kyoko and decided it was best to go home. Kyoko was so cute when he lectured "her" about pointing fingers at people as she tried to point out Kuon/Ren to him. Her sad puppy face as she apologized made him inwardly giggle and want to pinch those cheeks. And he just continued to want to glomp her tightly as she cherished every little touch, affection, and praise from him (even a finger poke to the forehead, pat on the head…).

He left her dazed and cute behind him, heading to Kuon and greeting him as a stranger. It was bittersweet his reunion with his son, but he tried to express his pride and love in him, even if it had to be in the guise of an admiring actor.

He cut it short sadly enough, and called out to Kyoko so they could leave. She just kept on being adorable as she followed, before looking like she forgot something. She went back to his son and his manager's side, and bent to pick up some contraption, and he almost burst out into laughter then and there, realizing it was some odd device meant to make him concede defeat. Ohh, she was such an adorable little thing!

And then she was apologizing to his son and he realized what she'd been saying to him before Kuu had arrived onto the scene, about putting down Kuon's acting in favor of her dad's and all this and-and-and damn it all! He just wanted to kidnap her then and there, and take her with him back to America!

He wondered if Lory would mind…

On the ride back, he reluctantly informed her that her assignment was over. Though she was hesitant and still wondered if it was okay, he believed that she was extremely talented and just one of those actors that once they got into character, it kept developing and would grow on its own –one of those actors that don't have to think before they start. He even brought up the "Tsuruga leftovers" incident, reminding her that she had wanted to make the guy who tried to make her give the leftovers to Tsuruga Ren talk to that very same guy. He was touched and so very happy at her explanation that before he knew it, he was already scheming up ways to smuggle her out of the country.

Back at the hotel, he reassured her again of her portrayal of his son, and praised her for giving life to the role and that he'd never once thought it wasn't his son.

Kuu didn't understand her dejected expression though.

The phone rang and he went to answer it, and while he had a conversation with Lory, happily finding out that his son wanted to meet with him (despite the ominous warnings), he caught sight of Kyoko's cell phone peeking out of his pocket. She'd dropped it earlier, on the way to the limo after their meeting with Kuon. He'd picked it up and pocketed it, intending to return it in the limo, but had been sidetracked by her.

He took it out and couldn't repress his curiosity as he saw the name "Kijima" with a number at the call screen on the front of the flip phone. He flipped it open and blinked, surprised to see the wallpaper of an unknown handsome man (slightly a little older than Kyoko, it looked like), grinning while casually draping an arm around a shyly smiling Kyoko, and having his face cheek to cheek with hers.

And who was this…

He looked at her contacts to see this Kijima was number one, as well as number one in her favorites (and being  _in_ her favorites). He was tempted to press 'call,' but knew he was being entirely too nosy and touchy as it was. He finished up his conversation with Lory and headed back to an oddly sulking Kyoko. So after explaining to her what her weakness was, and that if she could overcome it, she could become truly great.

He still couldn't get why she became dejected.

A close incoming finger strike remedied that, and she quickly straightened up with a "Yes, sensei!"

He nodded satisfactorily. "Good. Anyway, I was wondering because I accidentally saw your phone and noticed this person's name. Who is this Kijima?"

Of course he left out seeing the picture, hazarding a guess that it was the same person, as well as the contacts list, but he was curious, damn it!

She turned curiously red a bit, a fond smile tugging at her lips surprisingly.

"K-Kijima-san? O-oh…He's, um, a co-worker on Dark Moon, and another sempai, apart from Tsuruga-san. As well as a close friend," she admitted.

He recalled the name Kijima again.

_"And Kijima-san…Don't ever talk about him like that!"_

She'd rather been passionate about that, as well as the strange expressions and blush on her face. Close friend indeed, he inwardly frowned and refrained from looking suspicious.

They separated ways, and he wondered about the truth of that. If it was true what he really thought, then he felt rather sorry for his son, who clearly felt something very deep and was really attached to this adorable girl.

* * *

Kijima greeted Kyoko cheerfully, who smiled back at him halfheartedly, though she gave him a quick hug that he winced at (the punch from little Kojiro, one of the child actors from the Dark Moon set, had been real painful, as he'd explained to Kyoko –who seemed rather surprised and entertained with the idea that he actually liked kids). He informed her of his plans for the night, to which she brightened up a little more.

"I, my dear princess, have made you a Cinderella," he presented the brightly colored drink dramatically. "And have acquired a  _karumeyaki_  from the famed confectionary chef Kitazawa Najika for our delight, in celebration of your successful Kuon."

Kyoko beamed at him. "Kijima-san is the best!"

He gave a little bow, and winked at her when he straightened up.

"I can't cook like you, but there is  _one_  dish I do know how to make," Kijima revealed. "It's a family recipe. It's a rule in my family that even if one of us doesn't know how to cook or can't cook, that we are required to at least learn this one dish that gets passed down for this purpose of every family knowing to cook at least one thing."

He disappeared into the kitchen for a moment and then brought back a plate that had her giggling.

"Yakisoba?"

Kijima grinned. "It was decided that noodles was quick and an easy thing to cook, and traditionally the best to cook since having noodles can mean a lot of stuff, like bringing good luck and long life when eaten at New Year's celebration or something. It may not be New Year's, but it's still a celebration night, right?"

A wide grin spread across her face. Kijima never failed in making her smile or just make her happy easily. It was something she loved about him.

She struck that word immediately from her thoughts, and replaced it with appreciated.

It was something she  _appreciated_  about him.

While they enjoyed their 'celebration meal,' Kyoko recounted the day to him. But then when she got to the end of her time with Kuu, she deflated and became a bit miserable. After persistent prodding from Kijima, she told him about the weakness she had in acting (which Kijima agreed with and understood the whole concept Kuu was talking about), and mostly about her feelings about the role of Kuon and how she didn't want it to end, as well as her feelings for "Kuu-sensei" and not wanting to part with him or stop being his "son."

Kijima pulled her close and let her be miserable on him, thoughts lingering on how she was with Kuu when it came to breakfast and then trying to comfort the man, and adding Kyoko's mother to the list of people he disliked heavily. And then his thoughts went to linger about her growing attachment to her new sensei, and of this role she clearly didn't want to be rid of.

He tried to comfort her, but he didn't really have a clue on how he can help her with this, except for being there for her and trying to be supportive.

"Cook him something," he suggested idly. "Bribe him with something sweet."

Kyoko snapped her fingers. "That's it! I'll cook him my sponge cake of ulterior motives!"

He blinked.

"Kijima-san, I'll practice making them and you can taste them, okay? You will, won't you?"

"…Sure."

Well, he wasn't complaining with this odd turn of events.

Started 7/2/13 – Completed 7/2/13


	11. Papa's Not Here to Preach

Kijima hadn't expected anything unusual to happen that morning. He had eaten some leftovers of one of Kyoko's sponge cakes for breakfast, had a call from his manager about a reminder for the TV spot he had to do to promote an upcoming movie he was going to be in, and then got ready for the day.

He had not expected  _the_  Kuu Hizuri to be waiting for him at the TV station.

"Kijima Hidehito?" the man questioned seriously.

Swallowing nervously, he gave a quick nod and smiled hesitantly.

"Ah yes, that's me…"

"Good, good. Kijima-san, if you will, if you had time I'd like to discuss something with you. Someone actually," Kuu gave him a sharp smile that made Kijima tense.

"Of course. Lead the way, Kuu-san," Kijima's smile was shaky.

Kuu nodded and began to walk in a certain direction, and Kijima reluctantly followed the older actor. When they came to a stop in front of a door to an empty room, Kuu glanced at him and went inside first. Steeling himself, Kijima went in after.

"Kijima-san, please. Sit down," Kuu gestured to the couch and Kijima sat down immediately.

Kuu, however, didn't sit down. Instead, he traveled over to a dresser and opened a drawer. Pulling out a bottle and two shot glasses. He filled one up to the brim.

"Drink?" Kuu offered, genially smiling slightly.

"No thanks, Kuu-san," Kijima eyed the man warily.

Kuu's smile suddenly seemed much more dangerous.

"I  _insist_."

Kijima's fingers twitched. "Alright then. One glass shouldn't be too bad," his smile strained.

Kuu handed it over and Kijima downed it in one gulp to get it over with.

"I hope you don't mind, but I filled your drink with a truth serum," Kuu suddenly said nonchalantly.

Kijima fumbled with his glass in shock, almost dropping it.

"W-what? Why would you do that?!"

"Oh, I just have questions for you," Kuu waved a hand, his smile deceivingly friendly. "Very important questions though. Ones that needed to be immediately answered."

"Is this about Kyoko?" Kijima bluntly asked.

Kuu raised an eyebrow. "And how would you figure that?"

"The only thing the two of us have anything in common, and I'm not even going to think about acting since I'm sure I wasn't even on your radar on that subject prior to meeting Kyoko, would be her."

"Smart boy," Kuu murmured, pouring himself a drink before going over to Kijima and sitting on the coffee table in front of him and staring into Kijima's eyes. "Let's start, shall we?"

Kijima only narrowed his eyes, though he'd already started feeling woozy and lightheaded.

"Who are you and what do you do?" Kuu tested out the serum.

"Kijima Hidehito, 24 year old actor and chemical engineering major," he said frankly and probably ready to lay it all out and not leave out anything while being truthful. Kuu Hizuri seemed like the type of man that would be thorough in his investigation and be the kind of guy that would find out anything and everything anyway. It would probably be best to save the man some of the trouble and get on his good side, if he could.

Kuu made a noncommittal sound before placing his glass to the side, and leaned forward while placing the tips of his fingers against each other in a steeple in front of his face.

"How do you know Kyoko? How  _long_  have you known her? When did you meet her exactly?" Kuu asked stoutly, voice absolutely as serious as his face.

"I know Kyoko through work first," Kijima admitted. "We became closer and now we hang out outside of work too. I've only known her since I joined the cast of Dark Moon, so maybe a few months. I first met her through my introduction to the cast."

Kuu didn't say anything for awhile, staring searchingly at Kijima. And then the man spoke deliberately and softly, but he didn't need to be up or speak in a stronger voice to get Kijima all worked up, what with his words doing so for him.

"How close are you two?" Kuu didn't look away from Kijima's eyes. " _What_  are you exactly to her?"

Kijima just stared in shock at the other for a moment, brain scrambling and trying to find an answer for the well-known actor…but nothing was coming to mind, that was appropriate.

"Well?" Kuu became impatient.

"We're…close. I'm her sempai of course, but we don't solely focus on acting with each other. We go out to eat, visit with friends, and do things as friends. I guess you can say I'm…like her guy best friend," he was so not mentioning what he and Kyoko did with each other. He had a feeling he'd get murdered…

Kuu frowned, but thankfully looked like he wasn't going to push further.

"Fine," Kuu hmmed. "Then what are your intentions towards her?"

That stopped Kijima cold in his tracks. Aside from Mikoto, he hadn't actually talked to anyone about Kyoko and what he'd been hoping to go with her, and that was briefly. He hadn't even let himself dwell on it too much either, preferring to just avoid the issue (she  _hated_  love, what was he going to do?) or not think on it too long or too much.

"I want to be with her," he blurted out, before his eyes widened and he realized what he'd revealed. He sighed and decided to just tell the other, since it would probably be best and Kuu wouldn't hunt him down for lying or omitting truths later on. "I want to be with Kyoko, and I like being with her and talking with her and getting to be near her at all. I wish we could get together," he ended up wistfully.

Kuu made some kind of noise that drew Kijima out of his thoughts, and the older actor seemed to be looking at him speculatively. And, it could be just his imagination, but he was sure that Kuu's look seemed to have softened just a bit.

"How do you really feel about her?" Kuu asked quietly.

' _I like her, I really really like her, I –'_

"I'm in love with her," Kijima breathed out, staring at the ground and wondering why he had to be in love with a love-hating girl.

He didn't regret it and wouldn't have it any other way though.

Kuu hnned and suddenly slapped his hands onto his thighs. "Alrighty then! That settles it. Today, we are spending together entirely, Kijima-san!"

Kijima gawked at the other. "What? Why?"

Kuu smirked. "Because I'm going to see if you're worthy of my other son!"

"Daughter you mean," Kijima corrected, but left it at that. He supposed it didn't matter that Kyoko actually wasn't Kuu's daughter –her actual father was MIA and Kijima wasn't for the guy anyway, if he could just leave Kyoko like that.

"Daughter, son –same thing," Kuu said cheerfully. "Come along now! The drug will wear off pretty soon," he came over to Kijima's side and helped the younger actor stumble up and then slung the drugged actor's arm around his shoulders.

Kijima only mildly grumbled about his state.

"I had work, you know," Kijima snarked.

"No worries! I called and canceled all your appointments and cleared your day for you! It'll be alright," Kuu laughed and Kijima twitched.

Then again, this was going to be his father-in-law…in a weird, twisted way.

And soon enough, Kijima found himself in a karaoke bar with Kuu, and a glass of something in front of him.

"Drink, drink, Kijima-san! Let's do karaoke!" Kuu shoved the glass into his hands and took his own, gulping it down.

Kijima shrugged and took his cue from Kuu, gulping down his own drink. Sometime later, whatever it was they'd drunk had gotten them drunk quite easily. Kijima was surprised, being that he didn't get drunk so easily, but that must be one hell of a drink Kuu had ordered for the both of them.

" _We're not gonna to take it! We ain't gonna to take it! We're not gonna take it anymore!"_

"I love this song!" Kuu crowed happily. "Heavy metal! Hard rock! That's my thing, Kijima-san!"

"Yeah! I like Journey," he slurred, swinging his glass around and the liquid sloshing a bit. How many times has it been refilled now, eh? He can't remember…

"Just for that, I approve of you, music brother! No one here I know likes the same music I do!" Kuu roughly slammed his glass against Kijima's, causing alcohol to violently jolt out of both glasses and onto the table and their hands. "It's always this Fuwa Sho brat nowadays. He looks like a punk."

Kijima growled. "He  _is_ a punk!" he shouted, righteously moving his arm upwards and forgetting he had a glass filled with alcohol in his hand. It splashed out and over his head, drenching his hair. He barely noticed it. "You know what that shit did? I'll tell you what that shit did!"

And he started angrily, drunkenly of course, ranting to him about what Fuwa Sho had done to Kyoko, what little Kijima had done in return, and how much more he wished to just beat the crap out of the kid.

"I know, I know!" Kuu was angry of course, but he wasn't going to stay down when he could do something. "Let's prank his house!"

Kijima gained a glint in his eye. "Sounds  _awesome_. How do we find out where and what do we do?"

Kuu grinned maniacally at his co-conspirator. No one hurt his adorable daughter and got away with it!

Leaning forward, he began whispering his plan into Kijima's ear and he echoed the man's grin. Within minutes, somehow the two had commandeered the microphone away from someone and were shouting and headbanging into it.

"We're not going to take it!"

The two pumped their fists into the air and laughed boisterously.

That said, they were promptly kicked out after that. They still laughed raucously, hanging onto each other as they stumbled out and walked precariously, though for some reason they both had ended up with their ties around their heads, like the stereotype of drunken salarymen.

"Isn't it too early to be drinking?"

"It's a couple of drunk salarymen –"

They heard a few talking like that about them and they just laughed louder.

"Salarymen, salarymen!" the two chanted, each waving a fist in the air.

"They-they really think we're salarymen," Kijima kept chuckling, as they tried to straighten up.

"Psh, 'cause we're just good like that. Fufufufu~"

"Let's go over to Fuwa Sho's house now!" Kijima gained a determined glint in his eye.

Kuu grinned. "That's the spirit! We just have to get the address."

It took some time, but they managed to head over to the Akatoki Agency building, where Kuu used his fame and reputation to get in, finagle some people and get the information he wanted. Soon enough, he was back with Kijima outside the agency, and in full possession of Fuwa's address. Without further ado, the two still drunk men headed over to the newly purchased Western-style mansion the singer now lived in.

"He's really arrogant, this brat!" Kuu huffed as he began working on breaking into the home.

"He is, he is!" Kijima nodded excessively.

Kuu managed to finish and they broke into the mansion without further commotion.

"N-nothing illegal!" Kijima wagged a finger at Kuu, trying to be stern and warning him. He just looked silly and was too drunk to be taken seriously.

"Breaking and entering his home is already illegal," Kuu snorted. "Let's just go wild."

Kijima shrugged and decided what the hell.

Therefore, they just went off to cause some well-earned (on Fuwa's part) damage to the place. Kuu was starting to spray some words on a wall near the living room, in which the spray paint he picked up on the way to Fuwa's place was a bright red color, being used to spell out "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID –"

"Was that 'last summer' or what?" Kuu stopped, muttering to himself.

"Isn't that a movie or something?" Kijima asked, spraying silly string all over an area as he entered the room. He then promptly threw some toilet paper all over the place, teepeeing that area too. "And I don't exactly know when that Fuwa punk tossed Kyoko aside. I don't think it was last summer though."

"Bah! I've gotta take a piss," Kuu snorted, leaving the sentence as is and only finishing it off with a period.

"He's got a pool in the back," Kijima commented without care. "I took a piss in it."

"A pool in the back, you say," Kuu grinned naughtily. " _Excellent_."

And Kuu promptly marched over to where it was, found it quickly, and relieved himself.

* * *

It had been a very odd day, but Kijima couldn't say it had been too bad. Besides, he got to further have a chance to mess with that Fuwa punk, so all was well in his book.

Now that it was near the end of their time together, Kuu and Kijima shook each other's hands good-naturedly and even exchanged numbers.

"If you don't mind, I would be very appreciative if you would call every so often to tell me how Kyoko is doing and update me on her wellbeing," Kuu requested.

Kijima gave him a reassuring smile. "Of course, Kuu-san. I'll make sure to send some pictures and videos too. You should get her number too though."

Kuu waved him off. "I will. It's just she'll probably censor too much of herself and keep things to herself I'd like to know. Besides, you're close enough to her to know or figure it out, even if she does hide it from you."

"In that case, may I request something as well?" Kijima brought up out of the blue.

Kuu raised his eyebrows, but nodded in consent.

"It's nothing bad or anything…just, I'd be grateful if you could talk to Kyoko somehow and reassure her of some things." And Kijima explained all those odd reactions and why Kyoko kept getting dejected around Kuu for seemingly no reason, and Kuu finally understood while being fondly exasperated.

Oh, his adorable little girl…

"Yes, I'll definitely make sure Kyoko understands that she'll always be my child, no matter what…Even if I declare her suddenly not my pupil, graduated from my teachings, etc. etc." he rolled his eyes affectionately. "Seriously, that girl…"

"She can really take drama to a new level," Kijima grinned in amusement.

And so, on their last night together, Kuu did his best to take those silly notions away from Kyoko and reassure her of his commitment to her, while enjoying her "Sponge Cake of Ulterior Motives" (he strongly believed there were capitals in that title) that she made just for him.

And when she said "Goodbye, Father" in English the next morning as he was about to leave in the airport, his eyes inwardly teared up and he mentally cooed at his baby.

He would later have to blissfully ignore the ranting of President Lory, as the man called him up and lectured about having kidnapped and attempted to smuggle Kyoko on board the airplane to take her with him to America.

Kuu would just have to be content with the surprised (but happily received) gift of photos and video of the incidents at the airport from Kijima.

Started 7/15/13 – Completed 12/24/13


	12. If I Was Your Boyfriend

It had been awhile since their last "lesson," as Kyoko reminded him. Probably around two weeks, maybe? With the whole thing with Kuu and all, they'd been too busy to focus on one. Especially since the next lesson was basically Kyoko's "first time."

It required, to him, something special –a little (a lot) more thought put into it. He'd have to plan it out, or at least most of it. And he'd have to buy some things for her…condoms…lubricant…morning after pill just in case. He was definitely not going to ruin her career and cause a scandal by getting her pregnant.

After that though…He'd basically went over the basics. He supposed he could include anal. It's been a few years since he'd last did that though, so he'd have to go slow so they could adjust and he wouldn't end up hurting her. He could slip in a little anal play during her first time to see how receptive she was to it…

And after that, he guessed he'd have to do research of his own, to see what else to bring into the lesson plans. It'll probably be new stuff to both of them by then, but he'd rather not stop what he had with Kyoko. Maybe he could introduce her to porn.

Kijima chuckled to himself, as he pictured Kyoko's red face and occasional stutter as she twitched. But she'd probably be fascinated too. She wouldn't be able to look away…just like when she'd been watching him jerk off that first time too…He pulled at his collar, and rolled his eyes at himself, getting all hot and bothered just remembering…

Humming cheerily, he took out his phone and made a quick, teasing message to Kyoko and then called his manager, informing the other that he'd meet the other at the TV station and that he wouldn't need to be picked up. After that, it was all a matter of him driving around since he had time and finding a nice place he could pick up dinner that night, for the two of them. Although, something from Darumaya wouldn't be bad either. Some old-fashioned good food was never a bad thing.

A smirk slowly grew on his face as he caught sight of a building, windows blacked out. He could almost cackle to himself as he parked his car and strode towards the sex store with mind full of ideas and constantly picturing Kyoko's adorable and rather sexy reactions.

* * *

For once, Kyoko was attending her school. She was listening diligently too, and trying her best to catch up and understand everything that was being taught. Some of it went completely over her head, and she understood that her absences weren't helping her comprehension. But she still took note on what they were working on and what she needed further help with. She could ask Kijima for help and maybe he'd even tutor her on some of the stuff she'd needed help on, though she would definitely work hard and try not to rely too much on him without using her own brains and trying herself.

It was just…after learning that Kijima was still studying and going to college, Kyoko had really wanted to do it too. She'd admired him for it, and she'd decided she'd like to try and graduate and move on to college as well. And she just didn't want to feel…dumb.

It wasn't like she'd wanted to give up on her education in the first place. It was just that Sho had asked her to move with him to Tokyo, she'd heartily agreed and went with him, and that was it. She didn't have the time or money to go to school, and she'd been focused on working and on Sho.

She'd wasted so much on that jerk.

But no more! She was going back to school and learning, as well as acting, even if it damn well killed her. She wanted to make something of herself. She wanted to show everyone that just because she was a plain girl with no sex appeal, that she could be talented, have skills, and be  _smart_. And she was going to do it while juggling acting and schooling, even if she had to work twice as hard. She had the work ethic. She could do it. If Kijima could, so could she –he would definitely support her through this all the way.

Kyoko was so lost in thought, she hadn't realized that she'd been waylaid out of the way of the cafeteria and onto the grounds of the school, until Sho snapped his fingers in front of her face and stood in front of her cockily.

"About time," he rolled his eyes. "Spacey much, Kyoko?"

She refused to answer him, glaring heatedly at him.

"Anyway, I just wanted to say that I've been doing fantastically well, don't you think? What do you think of my new invincible reputation? I bet Tsuruga has nowhere near the star power I have now! And you must be furious that I'm so far ahead of you…" and he kept going and she tuned him out, just watching his lips move and not paying attention at all.

But he was just going and  _going_.

Kyoko stared at Sho. She wanted to wipe that smug smirk off of his face. She was developing a tick at her temple, and the urge to throw Sho off a bridge somewhere unknown grew. Really –why was he wasting her time? He could be doing something much more productive than bothering her. Honestly,  _she_  could be off doing something much better than having to listen to him.

"That was just a load of crap," Kyoko deadpanned suddenly, causing Sho to gape at her. "You're talking, but I don't care. It's going through this ear and out the other."

Kyoko was glad Mikoto had told her that expression and explained it to her. The look on Sho's face was priceless.

"You mean absolutely nothing to me, Shoutaro," she said coldly.

It shouldn't be getting to her (or at least, she shouldn't show it, especially in front of Sho). Kijima had told her that Sho wanted her to react, for her to focus on him. So she should do the opposite and be dismissive, and to channel her inner Mio.

"If you have no more nonsense to chatter about, I have to get back to class," she ended indifferently.

She executed a rather sharp turn of heel that screamed of "Dismissive Mio", and was ready to get out of there when Sho recovered and quickly grabbed onto her arm, stopping her from leaving.

"You've gotten a smart mouth on you," Sho said suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. "Hanging around bad influences now, are you?"

"The only bad influence I was around is the one right in front of me –and I shed that influence a long time ago," she said sharply, yanking her arm out of his grip. "You think I still hold you high up, Sho? You're just somebody I used to know."

And she coldly walked away, pulling at Mio's coldness as much as she could to form that icy barrier around herself and project out. She also thanked Kijima's iPod for that song, as she managed to slip in the title as a wonderful comeback.

Kyoko almost turned around to see Sho's expression, but decided she shouldn't. He wasn't supposed to be worth it after all, and she couldn't give him the satisfaction or any notion that she cared, even if a little bit.

He wasn't supposed to matter at all. So she wasn't going to back down and stupidly unravel everything she'd just worked hard to dismiss him from her life.

Not for one worthless look.

* * *

When he reached the TV station, his manager was there and ready with fresh coffee and snacks. He led Kijima to the commune area, and told the actor he'd be back after checking in with the personnel. Kijima just nodded absentmindedly, thinking about that night and the surprise he had in store for Kyoko. He didn't really mind that so much that this "lesson" was going to be a surprise.

"First times" were supposed to be special and more surprise and sudden, than being completely all planned.

Kijima hummed in boredom after awhile, tapping his fingers on his knees in a random rhythm. He suddenly saw a visual-kei group pass him, all dressed up in their getups still. They were rather familiar, and he could probably guess that they were one of the more popular bands currently 'loved' by the public at the moment.

"Still obsessed with that plain girl, Reino?" he heard one of the group address the lead. Kijima inwardly sighed, prepared to ignore the group.

"Kyoko is more than she seems," Reino stated carelessly. "She's not the type to fade away so easily."

Kijima perked up when he heard Kyoko's name (and he knew it was _his_  Kyoko), and began to listen in more earnestly.

"Yeah, but after that stunt you pulled last time, I highly doubt she'd even be willing to say a single word to you," the other said dryly to this Reino.

Stunt? What stunt? What were they talking about? Kijima frowned, but stopped himself from doing anything drastic. But he  _did_ listen even more intently than before.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." By this time, Reino's voice held a tinge of amusement.

The other man snorted. "Whatever. Besides…you harass her way too much for her to ever like you, Reino."

Kijima narrowed his eyes at that, full out scowling now. Harassing Kyoko? Definitely a hell no in his book. He stood up and headed towards the band purposely.

"Hey," he stopped them. "I couldn't help but overhear you talking about Kyoko-chan," Kijima had the fakest grin on his face.

"You know her?" the one named Reino raised an eyebrow.

Kijima's grin turned deadly. "Of course. I work with her," he drawled before half sneering. "Step off, kid. You've got no chance with her."

Reino scowled. "What would you know?"

"Oh, I would say I know a lot, considering I'm her best friend."

But then Kijima stepped into Reino's personal space, his grin turning a lot more darker than it had been as his eyes hooded coldly. He leaned in close and chuckled lowly.

"After all, I would bet you wouldn't know her favorite color is purple, the exact shade of her eyes is ochre and her hair tawny, or even the fact that  _the smell of peaches surrounds her lithe body like a second skin_ …"

Seeing Reino personally recoil from him (as well as the other band members' wide-eyed stare) really made his day. He shook his head at them mockingly.

"Che, children. Go back to the playground and let the adults 'play.'"

He wore his carefree grin as he waved backwards to them, having already turned and began leaving them dismissively, reminiscent of a certain girl in school to a similarly flabbergasted J-pop star.

Honestly, he had no time for little kids like them. If they wanted to play around in his yard, they better be ready to play rough. Even if he hadn't stated it or made it known, Kyoko was  _his_.

If Kijima could be Kyoko's boyfriend, he wouldn't pussyfoot around with the likes of Tsuruga, bark like the little bitch Fuwa was, or act like some tough shit like this Reino.

He'd make it damn well known that he'd wanted her and was going to go after her full throttle.

* * *

"Well, hell, if I'd known he'd done that, I would have done more than just talk shit to him," Kijima grumbled, after asking Kyoko about Reino and learning about the so-called stunt.

If he'd known exactly what Reino had done, he would have bloodied up the kid's face and then some.

Kyoko waved it away irritably, scooping rice into her mouth. "Who cares about him? I'd rather not remember that time. Both he and Sho made me so angry back then. Thinking they're so high and mighty…"

Kijima grunted, almost spearing his pork cutlet with his chopsticks. "If I had been there…"

Kyoko scrunched up her nose cutely. "I think you came onto the show a little after that."

Grudgingly, Kijima had to accept that he hadn't been there and wasn't part of the cast at that time, so there really wasn't anything he could have done. Still, the next time he saw that punk…

"Kyoko," he murmured, switching gears. He looked at her under half-lidded eyes. "There's something I want to show you back at my apartment."

Although she was blushing at his look, she was still confused.

"Um, okay?"

Kijima smiled slowly, and for some reason it was like the cat caught the canary to Kyoko's eyes.

They finished up their dinner at the Darumaya restaurant and said their goodbyes to the couple there, before Kijima was leading her out of there with purpose. He drove to his apartment and insisted she close her eyes before she entered. When she was pushed through the door and was allowed to open her eyes, her jaw dropped slightly.

Candles were placed all around the dark apartment, and she inhaled the aroma of peaches and lavender permeating the room. A hand clasped onto her shoulder and startled her.

"Why don't we go on to the bedroom?" Kijima's hot breath blew onto her ear and caused her to shiver uncontrollably.

He pushed her gently into the direction of his room, to where she saw there were a few more candles lighting up the otherwise dark room. Fingers caressed her hips, dipping under her shirt and then outside, over and over.

"It's been awhile, ne?" Kijima asked playfully, lips brushing sensually against her ear. "Kyoko-chan~ Are you ready for your first time?"

"Yes," she breathed out.

And then his warm hands slid up her stomach and cupped her breasts over her shirt, and her eyes fluttered as she could feel his fingers rolling her nipples between them. His warm mouth traveled down her neck and her breath hitched.

“K-Kijima-san,” she whimpered as one of his hands reached down and rubbed her over her panty.

“Take off all your clothes,” he murmured, and she reluctantly peeled away from him.

But she was quickly removing her clothes off, uncaring if she seemed a might too eager. The lazy grin and the darkened eyes on him said he didn’t mind at all, even as he languidly began to undress himself.

“Get on the bed,” he told her and she did so, waiting for what was next.

He spread her legs and she was practically quivering in anticipation as she felt him breathing against her pussy. His tongue flicked out and briefly touched her clit, and she bit down on her lower lip. And he then dove right in, and his mouth was on her eagerly. She could feel his tongue slipping inside of her, caressing her folds and then curving wickedly before he was sucking fervently. One of his hands began toying with her clitoris, rubbing in slow, agonizing circles, and then began speeding up in erratic back and forth movements that had her gasping. He alternated between, all the while moving his tongue inside of her pussy without any mercy.

And then she felt one of his fingers pressing against her asshole and she squeaked aloud, closed eyes snapping open.

“Kijima-san?!”

“Shh,” he murmured against her thigh, licking it. “Just keep closing your eyes and relax, Kyoko.”

She bit her lip harder, but did as he asked. And then his tongue was back to licking her, sliding over her folds and then dipping into her pussy. His hand was steadily rubbing her clit with his palm, but the finger near her butt made her breathing choppy and she wondered what he was thinking and what he was going to do.

His finger pressed against the pucker before lifting up, and he did that a few times before his finger began circularly rubbing against her asshole and then the tip finally going in. She began to tense up, but the hand on her clit pressed down and then he began rubbing furiously, causing her eyes to roll and allowing him the time to wiggle his finger into her butt. Before she could even think about it, he began thrusting his finger in and out of her butt, and it was just a whole new sensation she had never thought about.

“M-more, please,” she gasped out, writhing against him. “Kijima-san, please give me more!”

“I think you’re sufficiently wet enough,” he grinned down at her as he sat up on his knees.

He reached over to his drawer next to the bed, and took out a bottle and a thin, plastic package. He ripped the top of the plastic package with his teeth and then took out the condom that had been in there, expertly rolling it onto his hard shaft with ease. Then he took the bottle and poured some kind of liquid onto his hands and spreading it onto his condom-covered cock. He grabbed the bottle and squirted out more, this time directly onto her pussy and she inhaled sharply at the cool sensation of the lubricant against her sensitive pussy. His hand rubbed the lubricant around the area, before his fingers easily slipped into her and scissored in and out, spreading more of the liquid into her.

He lined up against her and after sharing a look, he pushed in and she hid her wince. It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, as she heard the first time could be. And quicker than she thought, what pain there was had left quickly, and she’d adjusted enough for Kijima to start moving in and out of her pussy at a steady pace.

She could feel his cock throbbing inside of her, just as much as her walls kept clamping down. She could feel something building up in her tummy and began rocking her hips against him. When he lifted her legs, she was caught off guard, but he just put them over his shoulders and bent over her more. And then he was thrusting in this new position and he was penetrating her so much deeper than he had before. A high keening noise escaped from her and her eyes rolled back, just as her hands shot up and clutched at his back.

And then he was relentlessly pounding into her, and she was cumming without another thought. But he wasn’t stopping, and he kept going and there was that _finger against her butt again and then pushing in_.

 Kyoko came yet again, just after the first time, and this time Kijima came with her.

Started 2/22/14 – Completed 3/4/14


	13. Love's a Game, Wanna Play?

When Kyoko woke up, she totally felt sore. Remembering the night before, her face blushed heavily and she peeked out from under her arms to see Kijima sleeping next to her. She reached out hesitantly before her fingers jolted and she stopped just short of his face.

The locks on her box were opening and it was because of him, and she admitted it terrified her.

But it was Kijima and he was never reckless with her, even if everything they did together was reckless. He made her feel comfortable in her own skin and not feeling like a plain, boring girl with no sex appeal. She felt pretty, even without makeup.

Everything felt easy with him. She had no trouble talking to him, even on embarrassing or intimate stuff. She'd learned and experienced all whole new things because of him, not just sexually but she felt like she was opening up more and broadening her views. His friends were kind and fun and had even become her friends, and she found herself occasionally sending emails and receiving emails from them. She had more friends now than she ever had before him.

She wasn't as uptight and formal as she usually was, and had even begun to loosen up and even have fun more. It was obvious that she'd gone through a change, and it was all because of him.

If Kyoko was honest, she had feelings for Kijima.

She didn't want to go down that road again, but she strangely wasn't as scared or repulsed at that as she thought she would or would have been before him. That didn't mean she would let herself fall any more than she already had though –it was safer than to be sorry.

She would lock up her feelings, so as to keep herself from harm and to not burden him with them. She was sure that he hadn't meant for this to be more than what it was between them as friends, and she was just glad to keep having such a close bond and friendship with him. She didn't want to ruin it by bringing up her feelings.

He started to shift and then was opening his eyes blearily, giving her a tired grin.

"Morning," he murmured. "We've got work this afternoon, don't we?"

Kyoko nodded, watching him.

"You feeling alright?" he asked her and she blushed. "I'll take that as a yes," he said smugly, leaning over and kissing her.

"We should watch that disc Ogata-san gave us," she said afterwards. "Don't we start filming our new scenes together today?"

"Yeah, that's right," Kijima answered.

So far, the two of them had only had to film scenes together that had already been planned before. Today was when they were supposed to start introducing the Mio/Naoyuki subplot in full, with their past scenes only being indicators and hints, due to how they had begun interpreting them now with that subplot in mind.

"Aren't we supposed to kiss onscreen?" he asked, growing cheerful. At her shy nod, he smirked. "Want to practice?"

She rolled her eyes and swatted at his head. "I wonder why they suddenly came up with this subplot. Ogata-san said he and the others saw something, but I wouldn't know what."

"Guess we'll have to watch," Kijima answered her, reluctantly getting off the bed and rummaging around his desk for the disk the director had given them. He put it on before he headed back to bed and got comfortable next to Kyoko.

And then the disc was playing on his TV and the two of them watched with eyes that widened while they both blushed and grew embarrassed. T-That scene!

"I, uh, was meaning Mizuki," Kijima coughed, still staring at the screen where they had paused it after that scene. "The prey was supposed to mean Mizuki or Katsuki!"

"It sounded like you were teasing Mio," Kyoko muttered, hiding her red face and not believing what she herself had done onscreen.

Kijima laughed. "The scene wasn't even written like that, but it makes sense that our onscreen chemistry would change after the first time we were together so intimately!" He continued to chuckle. "I suppose it's our own fault for putting out all those ideas for this… _NaMio_ subplot they suddenly wanted to use."

"NaMio?" Kyoko asked scandalized.

Kijima smirked at her. "It's what Itsumi-chan calls it. She seems to be a big fan."

Kyoko groaned and hid her face again.

"Come on," he patted her head. "Let's get up and get ready for the day. We've got a whole lot of time to kill before we get to work today, so we don't have to rush or anything."

"I wonder what Iizuka-san thinks about all this," Kyoko was muttering again.

"I heard she gave her approval and was actually excited about it," Kijima said cheerfully.

Kyoko squeaked, which he thought was adorable.

* * *

Today was the day! Itsumi was beyond excited. Even if it had nothing to do with her role as Mizuki, she had instantly been a fan of Naoyuki and Mio getting together. Sure, she had idly thought it would be interesting and a really good idea to have Mio have a love interest, but after seeing that first scene the two unintentionally made together, she was completely stuck on Naoyuki being the one for Mio and refused to entertain the thought of someone else.

"At this point, you can be categorized as a full shipper," Airi said sarcastically.

Itsumi grinned fully at her. "And proud of it. Besides, didn't you see that scene? It jolted all our senses, that even Director Ogata and the others were quick to pounce on the idea. Naoyuki and Mio will spice up the drama even more than it already is. Plus, I think Kijima-san and Kyoko-chan look really cute together."

Airi blinked at her in surprise. "Really? That hadn't even crossed my mind."

Itsumi shrugged. "Sometimes, recently more, I see them together and they're kind of really cute and act all cute together, especially when they don't pay attention to others and don't think anyone's paying attention to them. And, more so as Naoyuki and Mio, they've got this intensity and intimacy about them."

"Well, then you'll like this article I found this morning," Airi pulled out a tabloid paper Itsumi blanched at, but became more interested when she saw the headline.

**Playboy Prince and Fire Goddess Out in Town**

Itsumi cocked her head to the side, wondering at the title before she looked at the pictures and her eyes widened. At first glance you couldn't recognize her, but if you looked closely and examined the gorgeous girl next to Kijima, it was obviously Kyoko. Dressed up and made up for sure, but definitely her.

"No way!" Itsumi exclaimed. "Did they go out on a date?"

She read the article quickly, starting to smile widely as she read. The article heaped praises and compliments Kyoko's way, speculating it was Kyoko but obviously even the paper was sure it was her, and she could bet it was because they interacted with her. Of course Kyoko would talk with the paparazzi and of course the paparazzi would get endeared to her. But even more than that, the fact that Kijima was with her and they looked like they were out having fun together, it practically screamed 'date!'

"You don't think?" she looked to Airi excitedly.

Airi grinned back. "We'll just have to watch them closely when they come, but I'm totally sure too."

Itsumi giggled. "Hah! Those two think they're so sly…But at least it doesn't seem like Kyoko's totally as repulsed by love and dating and all that stuff anymore, right? And it makes sense someone like Kijima was the one to help her over it. The guy's a total pro at this stuff."

"He is," Airi nodded. "I hope it's not a fling either. They would make a real cute couple, like you said."

"Ah, I ship them in real life as much as I do onscreen!"

Airi shook her head at Itsumi in amusement.

"Speak of the devils," Airi said and Itsumi watched the direction she was looking at, seeing the ones they were talking about walk into the studio together.

Kyoko and Kijima were walking a bit closely, not too obviously, but it was clear that they were close and didn't mind. They were talking animatedly about something and had bright grins on their faces. Kijima caught sight of them first and pointed out Itsumi and Airi to Kyoko, and the coupled pair started to walk over. At the same time, Itsumi saw Tsuruga looking at the pair with a faint scowl on his face.

Oh. Just…oh.

"Good afternoon, Kijima-san, Kyoko-chan," Airi greeted them and Itsumi greeted them quickly after, putting the revelation out of her mind.

"So you guys are dating, huh?" Airi said bluntly and Itsumi looked at her in askance, surprised she'd be so bold and blunt about it, confronting the two directly and immediately.

That was technically what Itsumi was going to do.

Kyoko and Kijima stared at them in surprise, with Kyoko practically turning into a tomato.

"What makes you say that?" Kijima asked.

Airi handed over the paper hesitantly, the two girls starting to think they were wrong. It was a tabloid after all.

Kijima accepted the tabloid and raised his eyebrows, skimming over the article quickly.

"Well, at least they weren't talking shit or something," Kijima commented. "For a tabloid article, this is more than tame. Look, Kyoko, they have an article about that time we went out to that club! I'm just surprised it took them this long to print out this article."

Itsumi took it all back. They were right! Well, at least that the pair had gone out together…And he called Kyoko without an honorific!

"We're not dating per se," Kijima finally answered them as Kyoko read the tabloid in shock, glancing at the girl, who looked up briefly at him and gave a shy, reassuring smile. "We hang out a lot though."

"Kijima-san is also teaching me to be more receptive and affectionate, especially towards guys," Kyoko actually admitted, surprising not only the girls but Kijima too, it seemed.

She looked even shier at him and he moved out of his surprise and gave a fond smile, caressing the top of Kyoko's head and causing her to go into a pleased daze. Itsumi squealed in her head.

So, so cute! Ohhh, she definitely shipped them together, no matter what!

Even if Tsuruga Ren seemed to not like it and seemed to have feelings for Kyoko as well.

She and Airi definitely watched them closely, seeing as Kijima's hand slipped down and went for Kyoko's and he leaned against her a bit. The girl blushed faintly.

"Ah, usually we're not this openly affectionate," Kijima said lazily. "But it doesn't really matter to me. It's okay, eh, Kyoko-chan?" he asked teasingly.

Kyoko bit her lip and looked around, but then looked to Kijima. He gave her a smile and she smiled back and nodded, starting to lean back against him.

Damn it, even if they weren't dating for real, Itsumi could bet the two will be pretty soon! She'd swear her life and soul on it, even if she had to personally help in pushing the two towards each other definitely.

No one was going to stop her!

* * *

Kijima was sure that Itsumi had a strange, calculating look to her eyes as she watched him and Kyoko together. But that Airi also started to as well, after the girls talked with each other while he and Kyoko went for their costume change and makeup, he started feeling peculiar and wary.

Eh, whatever. At least he got to hold Kyoko's hand out in the open, damn everyone else. It felt nice to do so and not really care about anyone's opinion, particularly a certain manager and fellow male co-star. Kyoko and he certainly decided, even if out of nowhere and without talking to each other about it, to just be as openly close and affectionate in public as they were just together. Er, without the kissing though. He had a feeling he'd be murdered and certain people would get heart palpitations and conniptions.

"Almost done?" Kijima asked Kyoko as he sat backwards on a chair and leaned on his elbows on the back.

"Almost," Kyoko answered, pointing to her forehead and the almost finished scar. "Just finishing touches to go."

Kijima nodded, humming a bit. He grinned at her and flicked her forehead.

And if he started singing Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" to her, even when the makeup artist came back, then that was just his prerogative. Besides, he'd rather be a Swiftie than a Fuwa Sho fanatic. Also…

"Oh God, that's like our theme song!" Kyoko cried out in parts despair and amazement.

Kijima just chuckled at her and kept singing.

Started 2/2/17 – Completed 2/3/17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Points:
> 
> 1\. End Point: Originally I was planning on ending this around the Happy Grateful part arc, so I can end this story already and because I wasn't as into Skip Beat! any more back then, but my burst of inspiration has extended and I've gotten to be back to motivated for this fandom.
> 
> 2\. Jump Pulse!: I finally decided to publish this on FFN/Ao3, but I changed the pairing from just Kijima/Kyoko, to making it a reverse!harem to include Kuresaki Yuki, Koga Hiromune, Shingai Seiji, Yashiro Yukihito, and Matsushima. It's also got a new prologue to be published first before the first chapter some of you might have already read.
> 
> 3\. Blank Space: Totally Kijima and Kyoko's theme song. I was looking at the lyrics and listening to a guy cover of it, and it cracked me up to see how well it matched.
> 
> 4\. Pandora Box: My FFN rare pair forum that has challenges. Please subscribe!
> 
> 5\. The Regions Legends: If you're a pokémon can, this is my collab account and the link is on my profile. I'd really appreciate it if you check it out since it hasn't garnered too much attention.
> 
> 6\. Request: So I'd gotten back into this fandom because one day I felt like rewatching the anime and seeing certain arcs again, and then I thought about the manga and went to its wikia and ran across the wiki profiles of Kuresaki and Koga, which interested me enough to go and read the newest arc of Skip Beat! (and henceforth skipped all the chapters since I last read the manga), and then end up rewatching the anime for real and then read the manga from where I left off on the anime. I loved the new arc so much I really got back into Skip Beat!, but I was disappointed to come back and find practically no variation of stories with Kyoko other than pairing her with Ren! It's frustrating and part of the reason why I lacked any interest in this fandom before, so I would like to request a story, even if it's a one-shot, pairing her with either Kuresaki, Koga, Director Shingai, Yashiro, Matushima (the Head of LME's acting department), Nakazawa (the Head of LME's singing department), Kuu, or even anyone not mentioned that is practically NEVER paired with Kyoko. In fact, I'll call this the Rare Kyoko Love Fest Challenge!
> 
> Please answer this challenge and do your best to write it!


	14. Blistering Atmosphere

Kijima held out his hands and Kyoko eyed him warily.

"Come on, come on! Try to hit them!"

Lips twitching upwards, Kyoko steadied herself and then reached out quickly, only to miss as Kijima yanked his hands away and started chortling.

"Again!" he held out his hands.

"No fair! You have longer limbs," Kyoko protested.

"Which should make it easier to get me."

"Not true!"

They laughed together before Itsumi came in and interrupted them with Oohara walking in behind her, shaking her head at their antics.

"So we come to pick you up for your scene and to see if you're done with makeup, and instead find you two playing kids' games," Itsumi laughed.

"Duh," Kijima grinned. "We're a bunch of kids, didn't you know?"

"They're done with setup?" Kyoko asked, standing up and straightening Mio's dress on herself.

"Yes, we're just waiting on you," Oohara teased.

"We're coming," Kijima waved them off, getting up finally. "Geez, people. If you want my gorgeous self, get in line!"

Kyoko playfully swatted at his head. "You're being too much, Kijima-san."

"But Kyoko-chan!"

"Kyoko-chan, you should just call Kijima-san by his first name," Itsumi said abruptly, face looking strange for a moment. "You guys are close friends and really are around each other a lot, right? For that matter, you can call us by our names too. Without –san!"

Though definitely surprised, Kyoko glanced at a grinning Kijima and then to the other females and nodded hesitantly. She started to walk first when Kijima clung to her.

"B-but, Kyoko! I want to hear you say my name first~" Kijima pouted a bit, making her laugh.

"Alright, alright, Hidehito!" she blurted out, and though he'd asked her to, he looked startled. She was too, before the two of them gave sheepish looks to each other. Itsumi took hold of Kyoko, while Oohara grabbed onto Kijima.

"Alright, you two love birds," Itsumi giggled. "Let's get going."

"I-Itsumi!" Kyoko protested with an embarrassed stutter, though partly also trying to get used to her name as well. Kijima just gave a lazy grin.

"But nothing, Kyoko-chan!" Oohara teased. "Save the flirting for onscreen."

Kyoko's sputtering did nothing but exacerbate the others' reactions.

"Ah, would it be alright for us to join you?" she heard Ren's voice first before seeing him, and for some reason it brought chills already down her spine. He was upset! She just knew it! But if only she could figure out _why_ …

The group turned to see Ren with Yashiro, and though he was smiling politely, Kyoko knew that he wasn't happy about something and it was getting to her.

"Hey, Tsuruga-san," Kijima broke the ice first, still grinning as he waved slightly at the duo. "We're heading to the set. 'Course you can come with us!"

Kyoko gave him a side-glance, seeing him just act on as normal. While she knew that Itsumi and Oohara wouldn't notice Ren's gentleman façade, she'd told Kijima about it already, so he should more or less be able to spot it, right? And if he had, why wasn't he alarmed?

But she caught the reassuring look he gave her and she felt herself instantly relax. She blinked, thinking about that. Since meeting him, Kijima certainly had gained an ability to get her to just relax and not worry, and it kind of caught her off guard at the same time as it made her realize how special Kijima had made himself in the short amount of time she'd known him.

So when he slipped away from Oohara and settled next to her, ruffling her hair and tossing an easy grin at her as he moved his arm around her shoulders, she just gave him an exasperated but fond smile.

* * *

Ren wasn't happy at all. In fact, his chest felt like it was constricting painfully, while his head felt cloudy. Just watching Kyoko and Kijima interact made him feel hot and cold at the same time, seeing how close they enjoyed being next to each other and how easy it was for them to touch and talk.

He hadn't thought they'd gotten so close after he'd warned Kijima off and Yashiro had similarly done so to Kyoko, telling her about the man's tendencies. Obviously it hadn't worked, and all those little times he'd seen them interacting was brought more into focus, and maybe they hadn't been so into work as they were getting closer and getting to know one another too much.

And now he had to watch as the four near him and Yashiro joked around, and how relaxed and unlike her formal and slightly neurotic self she was right then. It was such a different change that he wondered how and when did it happen, and how could he have missed it.

"Ah, Kijima-san, Kyoko-chan, nervous about the new scenes?" Oohara asked.

…New scenes?

Kijima laughed her off. "Nah! I'm good. And Kyoko –" _'How dare he call her so familiarly!'_ "–will be a great partner. We'll be fine."

Kyoko smiled shyly, slightly blushing, which Ren thought was cute. Her words? Not so much. It made him mentally stop short actually.

"Un. Hidehito's right, though I guess I am still a bit nervous, since I'm not so sure about doing these kinds of scenes and especially in front of everyone."

What was she talking about? What kind of scenes? And _since when did she call Kijima by his name?_

"I wish they'd introduced the Naoyuki/Mio subplot earlier," Itsumi said dreamily.

What the hell was she talking about? What subplot?

"Don't mind her," Oohara rolled her eyes. "She's practically the president of the nonexistent fanclub for your characters' ship."

"It's only nonexistent because no one knows about it and hasn't seen them," Itsumi sniffed disdainfully.

What were they talking about? Ship? What ship?

"I apologize, but what subplot are you talking about?" Ren cut in, keeping up his smile. He could see Yashiro glance at him in alarm though.

"Oh, you didn't know, Tsuruga-san?" Itsumi asked. "Remember when Kyoko-chan and Kijima-san shot that one scene and it came out all different and kind of…accidentally intense and intimate?" Oh, he remembered all too unhappily well. "Well, apparently it gave the director and the others a lot of ideas, and since I mentioned giving Mio a love interest some time ago to them, they probably saw that as an opportunity and decided to go and write in a subplot about Naoyuki and Mio having a more romantic relationship."

No. No, no, no, nonononononono –

"Actually, I overheard Iizuka-san saying that she once considered a love interest for Mio a long time ago, and if there ever was one it would've been a one-sided thing with Katsuki, but she was totally for NaMio after seeing Kijima-san and Kyoko-chan change up the chemistry in that one scene."

Why couldn't it have stayed that way? He wouldn't have minded some romantic scenes with Kyoko!

And that scene –what had changed between the two that they acted like that in that scene that hadn't even meant to be so intimate?

"Well, I'm looking forward to watching and seeing how today's scenes come out," Itsumi huffed.

Ren wasn't at all.

* * *

Kijima and Kyoko read over the scene again, raising bemused eyes to each other and silently communicating on how to do the scene. They'd discussed it a bit on the ride to the studio and while they had breakfast, but now they were about to actually perform it and it kind of gave them nervous feelings that they hadn't actually had before then. Sure, they'd been a little bit nervous, but nothing to how it was now, especially with everyone's eyes on them.

"Ready?" Kijima whispered into her ear.

"Ready," she answered, though she obviously didn't sound too sure.

He reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it. Then they turned their attention to Ogata, who smiled brightly at them as they entered the set and looked to him.

"Alright, this scene, Mio is confronting Naoyuki, who didn't heed her warning to back off, and violently attacks him. We'll go from there," Ogata told them and they nodded.

Kijima took a deep breath and knew immediately when Kyoko had switched to Mio as her face darkened and the look in her eyes became intense and full of hate as she sneered at him. The cameras began rolling and he centered himself, focusing and becoming Naoyuki. His own lips began to curl into a sneer.

" _Saa, what's that look for, Mio? Did I do something wrong?" Naoyuki taunted, making the young girl bristle and lift her chin up disdainfully._

" _Don't say my name so familiarly," she scowled. "And I thought I told you to stay away from them!" Mio narrowed her eyes, sauntering over and making Naoyuki grin wildly, a manic look in his eyes as he stared at her challengingly._

" _Offer me something in exchange for them," he goaded. "Didn't I tell you? I want a prey too, my little chibi."_

_Mio quickly strode over and her hand darted out, grabbing onto his neck and squeezing warningly. Naoyuki stared back unfazed, still grinning wildly, though this time it edged with a matching darkness to hers._

" _Never mind, Mio-_ _ **chan**_ _," he mocked. "I'll just take my prey."_

_He slammed up against her, capturing her lips in a bruising kiss. Her hand immediately let go of his neck in shock and he took the opportunity to grab her wrists, holding on tightly. He pulled back for a second._

" _Bite me," he breathed against her, watching her usually vicious face stay shocked. "But I can bite back."_

_He nipped playfully at her ear before biting her neck harder and causing her to cry out. Then he pushed her against the wall harshly and kissed her again, relentlessly pressing against her. Delightfully, he noticed as she snarled and then violently hit him, enough to push him back, but instead of retreating, she slammed back against him and tried to take control of the situation with a ferocious kiss. He groaned as she hiked a leg around his waist, his hand tracing up her leg and snagging her dress with him, baring the skin of her leg as he went higher and higher._

_Her slender hands went back to his neck, the tightening of them somehow both threatening and erotic, before she slid them down his front and without warning ripped his shirt wide open. In return, he grasped at the back of her dress and ripped it down, sliding his hand behind the garment and groping at her skin and caressing the width of her back._

_She gasped and threw her head back, baring her neck, and he took the opportunity to dart his tongue out and lick a line down it. Mio's fingers tangled into his hair and pulled painfully, but it just delighted him even more and he chuckled against her._

_He picked her up, pleased that she'd wrapped her legs around him. Such a hateful, hateful little thing, but here she was, all wanton just for him._

_Her fingers tugged his head back and she claimed his lips as if she was going to devour him._

"CUT!"

Kijima blinked, breath coming out heavy as he and Kyoko (also breathing heavily) pulled away from each other and stared into the other's eyes. Then they blinked and turned to face everyone, becoming embarrassed to see everyone _staring_ at them. Itsumi looked like she was holding back from giggling, but just barely, while Oohara and Iizuka were blushing (the older woman being especially embarrassed, but grinning slyly even as she looked away). The director and his group were looking at them wide-eyed, though most of everyone there were too.

But it was Tsuruga and his manager, to his glee, that he stemmed the most enjoyment from. Tsuruga's face was a blended mask of blankness and a hint of rage and jealousy, while his manager looked flabbergasted. It felt like karmic payback for that time where those two had been attempting to keep him and Kyoko apart, and he was petty enough to be enjoying this, even with his extreme embarrassment.

After all, they'd gotten so lost in the scene and in each other that they'd basically made out and almost got it on in front of _everyone_.

It didn't get any more embarrassing than that.

Started 2/6/17 – Completed 2/8/17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had too much fun writing jealous!Ren. It's been awhile since I've written him, but as a reviewer brought it up…Hurr hurr hurr…Thanks for the continued support and for everyone coming back and still reading this, even after so long! I hope you enjoy this chapter and please remember to review!
> 
> Quick Points:
> 
> 1\. Naoyuki/Mio: I'm getting to urge to write Naoyuki/Mio fanfiction XD Lol, seriously though, I had plans of writing an actual Dark Moon story, but don't know if anyone would've been interested and I want to finish what Skip Beat! stories I have first~
> 
> 2\. The Love Me Confessionals: So I decided to sort of answer my own challenge, and put this collection of one-shots up! Look it up and please leave a review! I hope you guys enjoy the first one!
> 
> 3\. Pandora Box: My rare pair forum that has challenges. Please subscribe!
> 
> 4\. The Regions Legends: If you're a pokémon can, this is my collab account and the link is on my profile. I'd really appreciate it if you check it out since it hasn't garnered too much attention.
> 
> 5\. (Going to keep spamming until I get something XD) Request: So I'd gotten back into this fandom because one day I felt like rewatching the anime and seeing certain arcs again, and then I thought about the manga and went to its wikia and ran across the wiki profiles of Kuresaki and Koga, which interested me enough to go and read the newest arc of Skip Beat! (and henceforth skipped all the chapters since I last read the manga), and then end up rewatching the anime for real and then read the manga from where I left off on the anime. I loved the new arc so much I really got back into Skip Beat!, but I was disappointed to come back and find practically no variation of stories with Kyoko other than pairing her with Ren! It's frustrating and part of the reason why I lacked any interest in this fandom before, so I would like to request a story, even if it's a one-shot, pairing her with either Kuresaki, Koga, Director Shingai, Yashiro, Matsushima (the Head of LME's acting department), Nakazawa (the Head of LME's singing department), Kuu, or even anyone not mentioned that is practically NEVER paired with Kyoko. In fact, I'll call this the Rare Kyoko Love Fest Challenge!
> 
> Please answer this challenge and do your best to write it!


	15. Of Kinks and Surprises

Kijima was embarrassed. He also knew Kyoko was supremely embarrassed. And all the two of them could do was stand there in embarrassment, while everyone else was silent and watching them with those damnable wide eyes.

And then someone wolf whistled.

That broke everyone out of their stupor, causing a domino effect of people beginning to chuckle, clap, or join in with the wolf whistles and cat calls. Kijima coughed and ignored his blushing face to look at Kyoko, whose red face was probably worse than his, and the two of them grinned sheepishly at each other.

"Well that was something," he told her quietly, grinning.

"I suppose it was," she teased back, eyes lighting up in merriment.

"So good take, you two. You two can take a break, while we have Tsuruga-san and Iizuka-san doing the confrontation over Katsuki's past," Ogata called out. "We'll take five though, so we can review the footage first."

Kijima looked to Kyoko and gestured towards Ogata with his head, and the two of them headed over.

"Was the scene really okay?" Kyoko asked nervously.

Ogata smiled gently. "Wonderful. Very intense, as is usual of you and your Mio, though Kijima-san definitely added a new and even more exciting layer to Naoyuki and his and Mio's interactions than even before. Haha, maybe even too intense! We're not sure if we're going to be allowed to show all of that, but I would definitely like to and will push for it, if need be. And I'm sure if the broadcast will have to be censored, then at least our future Blu-rays will be able to feature uncut versions."

Still, hearing that made the two of them go back to blushing. Had they really been _that_ racy? After all, it's not like they'd actually had a full 'sex scene' filmed. It was cut off before that and meant to imply what happened.

"Here's an idea," the Assistant Director cut in. "Why don't you two join us in reviewing the footage?"

Though surprised, they agreed and followed Ogata into the viewing room, where they stood and waited and then gaped as they watched themselves onscreen. Dear God, even if it hadn't been full on sex, the two of them really had gone pretty full throttle in that scene and hadn't pulled back on it at all. No wonder everyone was so shell shocked afterwards. The two of them had practically gone to third base in front of everyone! That was _beyond_ a make out!

Kijima winced. "We're sorry, Director Ogata. We promise to hold back a little more next time."

"Please don't," Iizuka interrupted, grinning slyly, and he hadn't even noticed she'd been there. Neither had Kyoko from the look of her.

Ogata coughed, cheeks blushing lightly. He smiled at them. "What Iizuka-san said. Please don't. It would be a disservice to the scenes and the characters' natural progression with themselves and each other. Just go on as normally, and I'm sure we will come out with more fantastic scenes like that."

Kijima was still unsure, but he nodded. Kyoko copied his lead.

"You two can take your break. We're just going to be a few more minutes in here and then continue filming, though you two may continue on your break while we film with the others," Ogata told them.

"Alright, we'll be…in our dressing room," Kijima said, though he inwardly winced as he had forgotten to make that plural.

Still, they retreated out of there and headed to Kyoko's dressing room, where the two of them just stared at each other. Even if Kijima was thinking about it and had taken a step towards her, it surprised him that Kyoko took the initiative and moved towards him quickly, kissing him fervently first. Their tongues tangled together and he lifted her up, moving towards the counter and sitting her down. Her legs wrapped around him once more and drew him closer to her, and he could feel her warmth.

He nearly snarled, feeling himself harden and his control slipped, leading to him grasping her waist and thrusting against her. He swallowed her gasp, squeezing her hips approvingly when her hands slipped underneath his shirt.

"We…we should stop," Kijima moved away, saying breathlessly. "If we don't, I might just end up taking you right now."

Kyoko shyly bit her lip. "Then why don't you?"

He stared dumbly at her for a second, before his brain worked out what she said and he decided what the hell. He fumbled with his belt as he kissed her again, and had just removed it and was about to unbutton his pants when there was a knock on the door. They stopped again, giving each other confused looks as they reluctantly parted. Kyoko pushed herself off the counter and then headed to her door, trying to make herself look alright. Kijima doubted it though, her face was still red and her lips swollen, but that could be blamed from the scene from earlier.

"Y-yes? Is something the matter?" Kyoko asked faintly.

"Ah, K-Kyoko-chan, are you alright?" he heard Itsumi's voice.

"I'm fine!" Kyoko's voice went high. "Just fine!"

"Um, I-I heard you and Kijima-san from my dressing room next door," she said and Kijima almost cursed aloud.

"Oh!" Kyoko's voice definitely went high. "T-that is –!"

Kijima strode over quickly and reached around Kyoko, grasping Itsumi and dragging her inside. He quickly poked his head out and took a look, before he went back inside and shut the door. He turned around to face Itsumi, standing by Kyoko's side. The blonde was bright red.

"S-so, uh, you two, huh?" Itsumi laughed weakly.

"You could really hear us?" Kijima winced.

"Well, my dressing room is next door and since there's no ceiling, I could hear you two," Itsumi explained, wringing her hands.

"Please don't tell," Kijima said. "Kyoko wouldn't want anyone to know and –"

"I don't mind," Kyoko blurted out and Kijima looked at her, caught off guard. "That is, I don't care too much if we acted close like we were today, or if you flirted with me or-or…" She didn't say anymore, quieting as she trailed off.

Kijima blinked before he beamed happily at her. Still…He turned back to Itsumi.

"It would still mean a lot if you kept it on the down low," Kijima asked. "We would really appreciate it. I know I don't have the best reputation, but Kyoko is definitely a good friend to me and I just want the best for us."

"Of course," Itsumi said firmly. "You two are my friends. Answer a few questions though?"

Kyoko and Kijima looked at each other and Kyoko shrugged, so Kijima nodded. Itsumi practically squealed.

"So how long have you two been like this?" she asked eagerly. "Since the first time your scenes changed all of a sudden? It has to be! No wonder you two as Naoyuki and Mio became so much different than you two had been before."

Kijima coughed, but he nodded. "More or less," he answered and with a look to Kyoko, who smiled slightly, he went into more detail. "Two nights before that scene, I was looking to find some female company and I thought of Kyoko and asked her if she needed a ride. We had dinner first and then I dropped her off. The next morning, I called her to see if she wanted to try a dessert, which afterwards I told her straight out I wanted to have some fun with her, and she surprised me by accepting. She, uh…" Here he went quiet and blushed a little.

Kyoko piped up. "I asked him for lessons."

"Lessons?" Itsumi blinked.

Kijima was still embarrassed and reddening even more, so Kyoko continued on blithely, though she was blushing too.

"Ah, well, that was my first time doing anything of the like, and I asked H-Hidehito if he could teach me more on sex and things, and since then…yeah," Kyoko ended lamely.

"Then the next day was that scene and then that night is when we went out clubbing," Kijima explained.

Itsumi giggled. "Oh wow, that makes my shipper heart so happy," which made them give her strange looks. "I ship you two together so hard, not just Naoyuki and Mio," Itsumi told them bluntly.

That made them stare at her and she just shrugged.

"So don't mind me! Go back to what you were doing. I won't say anything," Itsumi grinned widely and they couldn't help but get awkward and confused. At their continued stares, she shrugged and her grin became wry.

"Can I watch?"

Kijima practically choked on his breath, not sure if he heard what he did. Itsumi, however, didn't flinch and stared steadily back at them.

"Okay," Kyoko said suddenly and Kijima looked to her in shock. "I guess this can cover exhibitionism, right?"

Kijima started to mentally flounder. What was happening? And where did Kyoko learned that? Ha…haha..ha…someone was researching far more than Kijima had expected of her…Ah geez…

"Ohh, you guys can act as Naoyuki and Mio! That'll cover roleplay!"

Itsumi…shut up…Just shut up…

Kijima briefly face palmed, before shaking his head and turning to Kyoko with a ready smirk on his face.

"But she's right, Mio," he drawled, slipping into character. "And I do have you all alone with me."

'Mio' came alive at that moment and Kijima shivered in excitement. Kyoko sauntered over, a deadly look in her eyes and he responded back before she could do anything, yanking her forward and grasping at the end of her dress and hiking it up. Somehow, they'd found their way back to the counter and he'd had his fingers rubbing against her and getting her wet. Their tongues warred while her legs spread, and soon enough he was pushing aside her panty and slipping his fingers into her cunt.

He thrust in and out of her nice and easy, her juices making his invasion easy. At one point, he ducked down and spread her legs, pushing the skirt of her dress further over her waist and taking her panty off while he was at it. He dived in, licking a slow line up her slit, enjoying her taste.

"D-damn you, Naoyuki! I-I won't let you get away with this," Kyoko hissed.

What?

Oh, right. He was supposed to be role playing as Naoyuki right now. He moved back and pinched her clit, looking up at her with a lazy grin.

"Quiet now. I'm the one in charge here, little Mio," he purred.

He went to unbuckle his belt, but realized he'd already done so earlier. Instead, he unbuttoned his pants and slid it down a bit, along with his boxers, and let his cock out. He was already mostly hard, had been since earlier with the scene he'd just filmed with Kyoko, but now he was fisting it until it was fully hard and he was ready to go. He lined it up and pushed it in, moaning at the tight heat that enveloped him. After a few shallow thrusts, he began to go faster into her, picking her up and shoving into her pussy in a rapid pace that had her bouncing on him while she held onto his shoulders. She threw her head back and let out a lewd moan that made him feel even hornier.

He sucked onto her throat while his hand molded onto her breast, squeezing and then toying with a nipple. Shoving her hard against the counter, he picked up the pace even more and began to thrust rapidly, plunging in and out of her cunt and reveling in the pulsing walls and the heat.

"So fucking tight," he growled against her neck.

Holding her to him, he sped up even more until they were practically banging against the mirror above the counter and shaking the walls a bit. He was pretty sure they were making too much noise, and that this time they were going to be heard beyond Itsumi's room.

Fuck, fuck, he wasn't wearing a condom –

Groaning in both pleasure and irritation, he pulled out and quickly finished off on the floor, while rubbing Kyoko's clitoris and making her give a short scream as she came too.

"Fuck, I think I got some on your dress," Kijima panicked.

"A-ah, will the Wardrobe Director notice?!"

"S-shit, I don't think so? Crap, I think my sleeve smell like your juices –"

"Relax, you two!" Itsumi cut in and Kijima almost had forgotten she was still there. "Even if the costume people notice, they won't say anything. Haha, just play it cool and don't say anything! Besides, I'm pretty sure the cast and crew are convinced by now that the two of you are dating or going to."

There was a loud knock and they all froze in shock. There was a mad scramble and Kijima had tossed himself under the counter and scooted up against the corner and hid as much as he could, while Itsumi dropped to the floor and lay flat, relying on the couches to hide her.

"Kyoko-chan?" One of the assistants entered. Kijima hoped she wasn't going to stay long or go further into the room. "Just wanted to let you know that your next scene with Kijima-san is up. We've been looking for him, but haven't found him yet. If you see him, could you let him know as well?"

"H-haha, sure, of course," Kyoko smiled nervously and stayed absolutely still.

Once the assistant was finally gone, the three of them finally let out relieved sighs and relaxed a bit.

Itsumi stood up, giggling. "What a rush! Doing it in such a public place and then almost getting caught. You naughty children," she wagged a finger at them, before fanning herself. "So hot though!"

Kijima coughed, shoving his pants up and buttoning them. "I think we should clean up and try to look composed and not like we just…had sex. Right. Itsumi-chan, not a word, alright?'

"How about Airi? Come on! She's begun to ship you two too, and I need someone to gush over you guys with!"

"Ugh, shut up. Whatever," Kijima looked up and rolled his eyes.

Itsumi cheered.

* * *

The empty Styrofoam cup in his hands was slowly crushed. Ren felt cold fury inside of him and he felt beside himself. He could do nothing as he just stood there and watched the scene unfold, and Kijima and Kyoko were wrapped up in each other, hands all over each other and lips crashing forcefully.

He never took his eyes off of them. The way the scene began felt like it was all in slow motion for him, and felt like a train wreck that he couldn't stop watching. Disbelief and anger warred in him as he saw Kijima be all over Kyoko, and she reciprocated.

Ren knew it was a scene, just a scene, and not real life. He knew now, after reading the scene after it had been shot, that it had been in the script and wasn't something out of the blue, not like that first one before where the two of them had gained some inexplicable chemistry that changed their scene from normal to what it was now, and why the show was going in the direction that it was now.

But it didn't stop him from seeing them touching each other, see their faces as they became intimate in front of everyone. Kyoko had even bared skin, something she would normally be horrified in doing so in that kind of manner. And Kijima…that bastard had been able to do things to Kyoko, onscreen or not, that he hadn't been able to, though Ren found he desperately wanted to.

The jealousy that consumed him was suffocating and he wasn't sure how to make it go away. He only knew he couldn't stand seeing those two together, whether it was in front of the camera or just hanging out as friends.

"Ren, are you alright?" Yashiro asked softly, still looking shocked at the scene he'd watched some time ago. "I'm glad you were able to act right now and do the scene with Iizuka-san, but I know what you saw with Kyoko-chan and Kijima-san must've been shocking and just too much. Right? It really was too scandalous! I really don't think they'll keep it in, or at least not the whole thing."

"Y-yes," Ren murmured thoughtfully. "You're right. It's probably too racy for the network and our show rating is too low to even consider keeping that scene."

He tried to latch onto that and feel better about it, but it wasn't an easy thing. Shaking his head, he went to throw away his cup, with Yashiro following, when he caught sight of the newspaper left behind on the table next to the garbage container. He realized it was a tabloid paper and was about to dismiss it, when he caught sight of the title and a glimpse of a picture of a familiar face. His eyes widened.

Unfolding the paper and letting the entire front page be shown, his eyes bugged out at seeing the pictures of Kyoko all dressed up and worse –being next to Kijima.

He looked for the article and read it quickly, mind racing and emotions bubbling up to the surface. Kyoko had gone out with Kijima that night, that night he and Yashiro had warned her away from Kijima and when the playboy had asked her out to come with him and 'his friends' to go clubbing. And not only that, Kijima had somehow convinced her to get all dressed up.

Not that Kyoko didn't look good; Ren remembered the photos. She looked fantastic, if unlike herself. And it was because of Kijima.

He was torn between anger that the man had forced her to look like something else and to dress up (and in such a fashion), and jealousy that she'd gotten dressed up for the other man.

Even if the article was just speculating that it was Kyoko, the article heavily suggested and implied it was her, and the people behind it was sure that it was her and oddly heaping compliments towards her way. And Ren wasn't fooled either, given that he'd recognize her no matter what.

That meant to know that she was this mysterious dressed up and beautiful lady on the arm of some other man felt like a stab to his heart.

"I think I need to sit down," he mumbled and moved away from a worried Yashiro.

* * *

Shouko rolled her neck, feeling exhausted and wanting a good, long soak in the bath. Still, at least Sho was working hard and delivering so many good songs their way. He was doing such a great job, and to be honest, she'd like to attribute it to that strange but sweet girl.

Really, Kyoko had gone a long way from before and Shouko felt a little pride in her for the success of the young girl.

Now if only Sho would clean up his act and stop acting so stupid and immature toward Kyoko, then maybe the two of them –

Shouko tilted her head at the tabloid paper laid out in the dressing room's coffee table. She normally couldn't stand those things, but every once and a while she'd get drawn into a quick glimpse. Seeing the title of the front page, she instantly thought of the Playboy Prince being none other than Kijima Hidehito, who she was admittedly a big fan of. She wondered who this 'Fire Goddess' was…

Reaching out, she unfolded it and gaped. Undoubtedly, even if it took a second, she realized said 'Fire Goddess' and the beautiful young lady in the pictures was none other than Kyoko herself! Dressed up unbelievably fantastically, but still the same girl.

Reading the article quickly, she shook her head and decided that this was no good. She absolutely _could not let Sho know about this or see this tabloid in any way_. Hell no.

Refolding the tabloid and stuffing it in her purse, because she herself adored the pictures and the way Kyoko looked (and the article) as well as the actor the story was framed about, she decided to keep calm and play it off, pretend things were normal.

Even though it was not. Totally was not.

Besides, at least she could be sure the tabloid didn't somehow accidentally make it into Sho's hands, unlike if she just left it somewhere else or threw it away. She would at least know where it was for now, and keep an eye out for any more copies.

"Hey, Shouko! I'm here!"

Shit.

* * *

"Stop _giggling_."

Kyoko almost started giggling herself at Kijima's exasperation as Itsumi and Oohara continued giggling, with the two women looking at her and Kijima. Was it really that amusing to them? Why were they so interested in the fact she and Kijima were together? Sort of.

"I want to go out with you guys!" Itsumi exclaimed suddenly. "Come on, I know you guys had fun going clubbing. I want to do something with you guys too!"

"How about karaoke?" Oohara suggested and Kyoko thought it would be nice to hang out with the girls for once. Though she got along well with both Itsumi and Oohara, she never actually hung out or had fun with them. Well, to be truthful, she didn't really hang out with anyone, not even her precious Kanae. She could kind of say she sort of hung out before with Ren, but she didn't know if that really counted. Still, most of her time before was spent in Ren's company and she hadn't gravitated or been around others too much.

But then she met and became friends with Kijima and she found herself meeting so many others and becoming friends with them.

She was different now. Things were different.

So she looked to a hesitant Kijima and tugged at his arm, smiling up at him. "I wanna go," she told him. "Let's go."

And when he looked at her and winked, she knew he'd agree and they would all go together.

That's why, half an hour later found the four of them in a karaoke establishment and having rented a room.

"I want some saké!" Oohara happily sing-songed.

"Me too," Kyoko and Itsumi said together, grasping each other's hands and giggling as they looked at each other.

"Too young," "Nope," Oohara and Kijima said without looking at their younger counterparts.

"Geez, you guys are killjoys," Itsumi huffed.

She turned to the karaoke book to look for a song she wanted to do, finding a whole page full of a certain artist.

"Heh, look at that! They have a full page just for Fuwa Sho songs! Well, he is a cutie though," Itsumi hmmed.

She heard Oohara laugh, but heard nothing from Kyoko, who she thought was a good friend of Fuwa (who she'd seen on set many times during filming for Dark Moon and talking to Kyoko) or a sarcastic or mocking comment from Kijima. Instead, she got dead silence and she looked to them and saw Kijima looking at Kyoko nervously, while Kyoko was blank-faced and frowning.

"Okay. I want to clear this up now, instead of assuming things about this matter and about you and Fuwa," Itsumi demanded.

"Spill," Oohara ordered, having also caught on.

Kijima looked to Kyoko and she looked tiredly back at him. It was going to be a long night.

Started 2/22/17 – Completed 2/24/17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um…I don't have anything to say? XD …And Itsumi…(shakes) I hope you guys enjoyed this crazy chapter! Next should be the start of the Happy Grateful Party arc, I think, so please remember to leave a review! I adore them so much.
> 
> Quick Points:
> 
> 1\. These one-shots: Anyone is welcome to use these ideas and expand on them, or even continue from what I have.
> 
> 2\. Pandora Box: My rare pair forum that has challenges. Please subscribe!
> 
> 3\. The Regions Legends: If you're a pokémon can, this is my collab account and the link is on my profile. I'd really appreciate it if you check it out since it hasn't garnered too much attention.
> 
> 4\. (Pretty Please?) Request: So I'd gotten back into this fandom because one day I felt like rewatching the anime and seeing certain arcs again, and then I thought about the manga and went to its wikia and ran across the wiki profiles of Kuresaki and Koga, which interested me enough to go and read the newest arc of Skip Beat! (and henceforth skipped all the chapters since I last read the manga), and then end up rewatching the anime for real and then read the manga from where I left off on the anime. I loved the new arc so much I really got back into Skip Beat!, but I was disappointed to come back and find practically no variation of stories with Kyoko other than pairing her with Ren! It's frustrating and part of the reason why I lacked any interest in this fandom before, so I would like to request a story, even if it's a one-shot, pairing her with either Kuresaki, Koga, Director Shingai, Yashiro, Matushima (the Head of LME's acting department), Nakazawa (the Head of LME's singing department), Kuu, or even anyone not mentioned that is practically NEVER paired with Kyoko. In fact, I'll call this the Rare Kyoko Love Fest Challenge!
> 
> Please answer this challenge and do your best to write it!


End file.
